Thirtysomethings can carry on, Strachan tells Keane
Celtic manager Gordon Strachan has urged Roy Keane to postpone his retirement for at least another season.
The former Manchester United captain has threatened to call time in the summer because of his hip problem.
But Strachan believes the 34-year-old can play on.
“When you are in your mid-30s you have one bad game and start thinking about packing it in,” said the ex-Scotland and United midfielder, whose team face Inverness in the Bank of Scotland Premier League tonight.
“We have all been there. At 16, 17 you were still tired or even worse and you were not thinking about packing it in then.
“The medics have not said anything about his hip problem at all.”
Shaun Maloney does not have to worry about his fitness; in fact, Strachan has revealed the 23-year-old has to be persuaded to take a rest from training on occasions.
“We can’t get him out of this place in the afternoon,” he said.
“He is doing weights. You will be floating about here at four o’clock; he will turn up somewhere and we will say ‘please go home’.”
Ross Wallace, meanwhile, has been hugely impressed at the way his young team-mate Maloney has overcome a serious knee injury.
“Having Shaun in front of you, in the form he is in, makes life easier,” he said.
“He does his share of defensive work in front of you. He has been really outstanding.
“He trains non-stop, and it is phenomenal the way he eats and prepares himself for games.
“He is at the gym every single day and he has come back unbelievably well from his injury.
“That injury might just have been the making of him. It has made him stronger.
“He has come back from the injury so well. If anyone deserves success in football it is him. You do look at him and feel you have to try and match it.”
Wallace cannot nominate a team-mate for player of the year, so Hearts and Scotland man Paul Hartley will get his vote.
“He has done really well for Hearts, and I have been impressed with him,” he said.
“He is full of energy, closes people down and scores important goals from midfield. He has been the driving force for Hearts.”
Since Wallace has been converted into a full-back, he has looked south for his inspiration.
“I model myself of the likes of (Arsenal’s) Ashley Cole,” said the 20-year-old.
“Getting forward has to be vital for me, because I don’t have a lot of height to win balls in the air. I have got to be involved in scoring goals or creating goals.
“Cole is a world-class player and has been playing that position all his life.
“I have only been playing it this season and I have a lot of practising to do before I get to that level.”
