Miller punished for poor timekeeping

Feb 29 2008 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

ROY Keane is adamant he had no choice but to put Liam Miller on the transfer list this week as the midfielder was jeopardising discipline and morale at the club.

Keane insisted yesterday that he has been more than lenient with the Republic of Ireland international after he revealed the 27-year-old had been late for training on numerous occasions this season.

Although Miller’s career at the Stadium of Light is not over yet – and Keane assured him he will be considered for selection if he plays well for the reserves and is on time for training – it remains to be seen whether he will ever regain favour after wasting so many second chances from his manager.

Keane hinted last night that he will be sorry to see his fellow Cork man leave the club – presuming there is interest from Championship sides hoping to take him on loan this season or on a permanent basis in the summer – he claimed it was a matter of principle he was unwilling to budge on. “It’s not a question about Liam the lad,” said Keane, who is clearly upset that his many warnings to the player about his shoddy timekeeping have not been heeded. He is a talented boy and he has had his ups and downs like lots. But I’m employed by Sunderland and I have to do what is right for Sunderland Football Club.

“He is a Cork man and I have looked out for him on a number of occasions. I don’t go around with a stick, threatening people. We have given players the benefit of the doubt, but enough is enough. There comes a time when you have to say move on. Liam is very happy here, but if you can’t get in on time for training then it doesn’t matter if he is happy or unhappy.

“I am prepared to give the benefit of the doubt on a number of occasions. Believe it or not, I’m not the type of person to look for trouble, but if problems are there you have to face it. I encountered a couple last year and allowed certain players to leave.

“All I’ll say is, if you are driving to work, don’t get in the car with Liam Miller because he has more car crashes than anyone I know. There have been plenty of reasons given for his lateness. If he is late once or twice, all well and good, but when it is five, six or seven times, then you have to draw the line.”

Keane’s stance is a typically forthright one, but he also admitted that deciding on this firm course of action because of his principles did not come without risk. Miller has been one of Sunderland’s best players during their recovery this year and his absence will be felt if he does leave on loan before the end of the season. Keane said: “We need every player we can, but I have to look at the bigger picture for this club. I have to look at his team-mates, players who come in regularly on time and train, the supporters who spend a lot of money up and down the country.

“It’s a hard part of the job. There’s no room for sentiment. I have been more than fair. There comes a point when enough is enough. Players get more than enough chances.”

Nevertheless, while Miller will not be considered for selection for the trip to Derby tomorrow, Keane could call on him again if the shock of being transfer listed gets the right reaction. He added: “Liam played for the reserves (on Wednesday night) and as long as he is under the roof, he is working hard, he might get an opportunity.

“His reaction for the reserves was superb. He was the best on the pitch. It’s not over [his career]. If I don’t get the calls, he keeps training well and is on time, he will be in my thoughts. Will he be involved on Saturday? Highly unlikely, but if he trains well next week, we’ll see. It’s not as if we have a squad of 50 players.”

Miller’s agent, Eamonn McLoughlin, said: “We accept that Liam was late three times in the past week but on two of those occasions the situation was out of his control, one of these was a well-publicised accident on the A19.

“The implication is that Liam is indisciplined and not fully committed to his job at Sunderland. I do not want to start a public row with the manager but I can’t let that pass. Liam is not unprofessional and I think people who know him know that.

“In 18 months at the club Liam has been late seven times in total, but most are by a matter of minutes. The latest was half an hour when Liam and Stephen Elliott got a training session start-time wrong last season. Liam is not casual in my approach to his profession and, for the sake of his career, we need people to know that, at Sunderland and elsewhere.