Completely disagree. You just didn't get the value of Keane.
Yes he was a ball winner but he wasn't a hell of a dirty player. Hard as nails, a bit dirty (it's a dirty part of the pitch), but moreso a hard wee (CP censored) that pulled out of nothing with a bit of a dirty streak and a long memory
.
The point I'm making is, he also was very very clever player. Rarely would you see him waste a pass, often would you see him dictate where the ball was spread about. Very cerebral. Knew when to slow it down, knew when to spread it about, knew when to thread it through. Wasted very little. Everything went through Keane, he dictated the play or conducted the orchestra .. so to speak.
That era with Keane, Makalele and Edgar Davids was one of the best ever IMO for midfield battles. Madrid letting Makalele go IMO was one of their stupidest decisions in recent memory.
Scholes, when I look back at him my memories will be blinded by someone that was always a late tackler and a yellow card picker upper. He just didn't get the memo on when to arrive at a tackle. He'll always be Paul late tackle, yellow card, Scholes. Not even in the same league as Keane if you're trying to suggest that Scholes made him look better, I'd say the opposite.
Just to go back to Keane .... him walking off the Ireland squad in Korea ... I was initially dissappointed with (as it totally effed up the teams chances) but within 2 days supported 100%. Cnuts a winner and wanted to win, and basically couldn't suffer fools any longer and walked off site.
If him (or Martin O'Neill) was to get the reins for the international job then they might actually do something.
Unfortunately, it might never happen for the same reasons that I think if Brian Clough had ever got the nod from England they might have more than one star on their jersey. I strongly believe that. Cloughie was in his own league as far as managers go. His only problem was like Keane and O'Neill now ...... they're not yes men.
Keane at his peak was world class. One of the cleverest footballers I've ever watched.