Simon Jordan defends Roy Keane following claims of promoting viciousness
Comments from Danny Mills had given Roy Keane a share of the blame for Harry Maguire’s boos recently but Simon Jordan doesn’t believe that it’s fair to throw Keane under the bus because he’s persuasive.
While Keane’s lead will, in no doubt, have influenced many into having an opinion on Harry Maguire that they might not have otherwise held, Jordan doesn’t believe the cries of hate deserve to bounce back on Keane for holding an opinion and being persuasive with it.
Jordan seemed strong in the belief that he’d rather have a pundit like Keane giving their honest opinion as opposed to another pundit that might shy away from harsher truths or ones that are tougher to argue.
? “Roy Keane has massive influence. Whenever he speaks, we all listen.”
❌ “We take his opinion as gospel. Maybe we shouldn’t do that…”
Danny Mills feels Roy Keane’s opinion on Harry Maguire has shaped how Maguire is perceived pic.twitter.com/AAFwyKBQfm
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) March 30, 2022
“Surely it’s about resonance,” said Jordan on talkSPORT.
“Surely it’s about the ability to make a coherent argument and have some substance behind what you’re saying.
“You can use Alan Shearer and Ian Wright, who are vanilla in most of their opinions, and say that’s the benchmark on how you’re supposed to be or you can have somebody that’s got the honesty and the belief and the commitment to what he’s saying.”
“I am disgusted with it. Maguire? de Gea? Hang your heads in shame.”
“I’d be swinging punches at that guy.”
Roy Keane is absolutely FURIOUS at that Tottenham goal…? pic.twitter.com/fC97LLKHcf
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) June 19, 2020
“Pantomime villainy”
Jordan isn’t claiming that Keane is without his flaws as he admits Keane’s rants have gotten a little dramatic and forceful at times but he believes that this comes with a passion for what he’s saying
“There are times when there is a voyage into pantomime villainy. I’ve done it in the past and Roy Keane does it repeatedly. It’s not attempted to be that way, it’s just you’re very strident in your views.”
There’s no doubt that Keane is an influential pundit but Jordan holds the opinion that it’s up to fans to make up their own mind on what he’s saying. If Keane is doing such a good job persuading people on matters, then it must mean that he has good arguments, otherwise, the team of surrounding pundits would surely prove him wrong.
Jordan even claimed that assuming football fans were that easily-influenced was an insult to them but that herd mentality was simply human nature.
“If you’re influenced by a pundit and it’s just blind influence, they could turn around and tell you that the moon is cheese and you’d buy that…
“I think football fans would take some exception to the characterisation that they’re lemmings… No, they haven’t watched (Maguire) him all season but there’s a visibility to top players that you will see and you will formulate your own opinions.
“Of course, it will be herded, people are herded to some extent. They’re influenced by the point that they see, that’s the nature of the beast… but that doesn’t mean that Roy Keane is wrong.”