Manchester derby: United legend Keane on City's title ambitions

Former Manchester United star Roy Keane says City have yet to prove they can win big matches.Manchester derby takes oplace on Sunday with City two points ahead of UnitedUnited legend Roy Keane says City team yet to prove they can win big gamesKeane says he would "give up everything" for the chance to play another derbyUnited hold a 67-43 advantage ahead of the 161st meeting between the clubs

(CNN) -- Alex Ferguson may have dubbed last weekend's clash with Liverpool as "the biggest match in world football," but this weekend's Manchester derby will be a better reflection of the balance of power in England's Premier League.

City travel to Old Trafford with a two-point lead over Ferguson's second-placed defending champions United after eight rounds, and victory on Sunday would be a major statement of the title ambitions of Roberto Mancini's expensively-assembled squad.

"Over the last year or two, City have made a lot of progress getting into the Champions League, and Mancini won the FA Cup, but talk is cheap -- it's all about winning these games. But it's easier said than done," United legend Roy Keane told CNN on Friday.

"What City learned from last year was that they drew a lot of games. If you want to win the Premier League you've got to win matches. For City to make real progress, can they go on and beat some of the big boys?

"City have had a good start to this season, but they've played nobody yet. It's when they turn up against Chelsea, Liverpool and United on Sunday. Even Arsenal are still a big test for anybody, even though they're having a hard time.

I'd nearly give my wife and kids away to go back and play one of these games. That's what you miss
Roy Keane

"United have done that over the years, they've always been capable of winning these big, big matches. United have been down this road many times before, but City haven't. People have been asking if City can go on and win the league ... we'll find out on Sunday."

First European wins for Manchester clubs

Keane captained United and won seven of the club's record 19 English titles plus the European Champions League during his 12-year stint at Old Trafford. City, by comparison, have been domestic champions only twice -- and not since 1968.

United have won 67 derbies to City's 43, with 50 draws.

A fiercely combative midfielder, Keane infamously claimed in his autobiography that he tried to hurt City's Alf-Inge Haaland in the 2001 Manchester derby, when he was sent off and fined -- and then further punished after the comments were published.

Perhaps surprisingly, the outspoken Irishman stopped short of condemning City's former United striker Carlos Tevez, who is expected to be charged by the club for failing to resume warming up as a substitute during last month's Champions League defeat by Bayern Munich.

"It's difficult to comment on what's going on, I've learned that from my own experience," Keane said.

Modern players, half of them are clowns. That's why managers are so stressed all the time
Roy Keane

"If anything I can sympathize with the manager. Players don't even like warming up -- modern players, half of them are clowns. That's why managers are so stressed all the time.

"People talk about the pressure of winning football matches and the media -- to me that was a doddle. With certain players who don't want to get warmed up, what's wrong with them? But there's two sides to every argument."

Keane moved into management after retiring in 2006, and has had mixed success after guiding Sunderland into the Premier League at the first attempt, being sacked second division Ipswich in January.

But his passion for the game, especially one as big as Sunday, is as strong as ever.

"I'd nearly give my wife and kids away to go back and play one of these games. That's what you miss about the game," the 40-year-old said.

"People talk about the contracts and winning trophies, but it's about these games. Sitting in the dressing room, the manager doesn't have to do too much.

"He'd be going, 'Right lads...' and you'd be kicking doors down, going 'Let me at them!' It sounds crazy to people on the outside, they'd be saying he needs to relax a bit, but you'd give it all up to go back -- give up all of the success for one more game."

However, he won't be in the stands at Old Trafford cheering his old team on.

"I've kept my distance, I've always done that. People might think it's strange, but when I left I thought I needed to keep my distance and get on with my own life and challenges. But I'll be watching on the television, absolutely.

"I can never see United losing at home, but City will give them problems."

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Jailing united U.S., Russia

Former Ukrainian PM found guiltyKeeping Mrs. Tymoshenko in prison simply not an option, says Hryhoriy NemyriaLast week parliament refused to consider any modification of the articles needed to free herNemyria: Yanukovych playing a dangerous game, should not try to bluff EU and U.S.Editor's note: Hryhoriy Nemyria is former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko's foreign policy adviser and the former deputy prime minister responsible for European integration.

(CNN) -- By convicting and imprisoning former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, President Viktor Yanukovych has succeeded in doing what few politicians ever achieve. He has united Europe, the U.S. and even Russia in condemnation of a Soviet-style show trial, which saw the heroine of the Orange Revolution convicted for taking a courageous political decision to end a damaging gas dispute in the winter of 2009 -- a dispute which saw gas supplies cut to European households and Ukraine's gas pipeline network come close to collapse.

This politically motivated gamble to get rid of his main political opponent ahead of parliamentary elections next year and presidential elections in 2015 backfired spectacularly. In upsetting the international community, the president also united a previously fractured opposition, cast himself as a dictator and revived the fortunes of his main political rival. Keeping Mrs. Tymoshenko in prison is simply not an option. Inside her cell her voice will merely get louder. Unwittingly he is forging a strong symbol for freedom and democracy -- an eastern European Aung San Suu Kyi.

Of course, the case is underpinned by geopolitics. At stake is the very direction of this nation of 46 million people. Russia wants Ukraine to join its customs union with former Soviet republics, Belarus and Kazakhstan. This would mean abandoning negotiations with the EU on an association agreement encompassing a wide-ranging free trade accord. The talks are due to be concluded in December.

Herein lays the rub. EU officials have made it clear that they don't invite into their club authoritarian regimes that lock up opposition leaders for no good reason. They delivered a stern warning: Mrs. Tymoshenko and other detained members of her former government are to be released and allowed to participate fully in political life, or European states are unlikely to ratify the association agreement.

Backpedaling furiously, the president hints that Ukraine's rubber stamp parliament will decriminalize the discredited Soviet-era criminal code under which Mrs. Tymoshenko was tried. She would then walk free and back into political life -- although last week parliament refused to consider any modification of the articles needed to free her.

President Yanukovych is playing a dangerous game and should not seek to bluff the U.S. and EU. He risks making his country an international pariah.

Meanwhile, the trial has shown to the world the inconsistent application of the rule of law and absence of fair, impartial and independent judicial proceedings. This should play heavily on the minds of European companies and would-be investors, as well as fans visiting the UEFA EURO 2012 soccer tournament, which Ukraine will co-host with Poland.

Yet at stake here is the country's democratic future. Under Mr Yanukovych's stewardship, Ukraine has already been demoted from Freedom House's list of "free" countries to "partly free." The choice now is whether it heads down a Belarusian path -- facing isolation and further sanctions -- or shares Mrs. Tymoshenko's vision of being European, democratic and free.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Hryhoriy Nemyria.

View the original article here

Jailing united U.S., Russia

By convicting and imprisoning former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, President Viktor Yanukovych has succeeded in doing what few politicians ever achieve. He has united Europe, the U.S. and even Russia in condemnation of a Soviet-style show trial, which saw the heroine of the Orange Revolution convicted for taking a courageous political decision to end a damaging gas dispute in the winter of 2009 -- a dispute which saw gas supplies cut to European households and Ukraine's gas pipeline network come close to collapse.

View the original article here