FantasyIreland
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Manchester City fans have recognised the talent of Nastasic who, with only a season in Italy’s Serie A under his belt, has settled into the English game as if, in Keegan’s words, “he has been here all his life”.
Few had heard of the Serbian international before Mancini signed him from Fiorentina in a £12million cash-plus-player deal – as Montenegrin Stefan Savic went the other way.
But he steps out at Wembley against Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final tomorrow having ousted England international Joleon Lescott as Vincent Kompany’s defensive partner and with Keegan joining a list of admirers.
He said: “I really like him. He would be my idea of a centre half – one who can come out with the ball and play.
“He’s more of a Bobby Moore and Franz Beckenbauer style of defender, although perhaps it’s crazy to compare him to those sort of players now.
“I’m not saying Nastasic is as good as Moore or Beckenbauer because we have to see a lot more of him yet, but he has really impressed me from the first time I saw him play for City against Real Madrid in the Champions League.
“If Roberto Mancini puts a player in for his debut in the Bernabeu that tells you everything you need to know about him. He has come into the English game and played as if he has been there for ever.
“In five or six years’ time, you could see him developing into a Nemanja Vidic, even though he is different sort of player. He could become even bigger than Vidic, who has probably been the best centre-half in this country for five or six years.”
Nastasic and Kompany kept Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney quiet in the Manchester derby on Monday and face another test against Chelsea’s fleet-footed attacking midfield trio of Eden Hazard, Oscar and Juan Mata, and Demba Ba.
He’s more of a Bobby Moore and Franz Beckenbauer style of defender, although perhaps it’s crazy to compare him to those sort of players now
Keegan added: “The big test will come next season when people have had a good look at him. They will try to find out what he is not good at and where his weaknesses are. I haven’t seen too many at the moment. But if you have people watching him every week then they might say, ‘well, he goes to sleep every now and again’ or point to a lack of experience which is normal with a player so young coming from overseas.
“The only way you get experience is by playing. But of all the defenders who have come into the Premier League over the last 10 years, he has got to be in the top five already.”
Nastasic is the one positive from Mancini’s five signings last summer with Javi Garcia, Jack Rodwell, Maicon and Scott Sinclair all failing to shine.
But Keegan added: “Roberto bought five players and they are not going to win the title so it looks like they’ve taken a step backwards. If you stand still in the Premier League, you go backwards.
“Why give him a five-year contract if you don’t want to build something? On his school report, he has done a great job.” The same could be said of Nastasic
Few had heard of the Serbian international before Mancini signed him from Fiorentina in a £12million cash-plus-player deal – as Montenegrin Stefan Savic went the other way.
But he steps out at Wembley against Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final tomorrow having ousted England international Joleon Lescott as Vincent Kompany’s defensive partner and with Keegan joining a list of admirers.
He said: “I really like him. He would be my idea of a centre half – one who can come out with the ball and play.
“He’s more of a Bobby Moore and Franz Beckenbauer style of defender, although perhaps it’s crazy to compare him to those sort of players now.
“I’m not saying Nastasic is as good as Moore or Beckenbauer because we have to see a lot more of him yet, but he has really impressed me from the first time I saw him play for City against Real Madrid in the Champions League.
“If Roberto Mancini puts a player in for his debut in the Bernabeu that tells you everything you need to know about him. He has come into the English game and played as if he has been there for ever.
“In five or six years’ time, you could see him developing into a Nemanja Vidic, even though he is different sort of player. He could become even bigger than Vidic, who has probably been the best centre-half in this country for five or six years.”
Nastasic and Kompany kept Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney quiet in the Manchester derby on Monday and face another test against Chelsea’s fleet-footed attacking midfield trio of Eden Hazard, Oscar and Juan Mata, and Demba Ba.
He’s more of a Bobby Moore and Franz Beckenbauer style of defender, although perhaps it’s crazy to compare him to those sort of players now
Keegan added: “The big test will come next season when people have had a good look at him. They will try to find out what he is not good at and where his weaknesses are. I haven’t seen too many at the moment. But if you have people watching him every week then they might say, ‘well, he goes to sleep every now and again’ or point to a lack of experience which is normal with a player so young coming from overseas.
“The only way you get experience is by playing. But of all the defenders who have come into the Premier League over the last 10 years, he has got to be in the top five already.”
Nastasic is the one positive from Mancini’s five signings last summer with Javi Garcia, Jack Rodwell, Maicon and Scott Sinclair all failing to shine.
But Keegan added: “Roberto bought five players and they are not going to win the title so it looks like they’ve taken a step backwards. If you stand still in the Premier League, you go backwards.
“Why give him a five-year contract if you don’t want to build something? On his school report, he has done a great job.” The same could be said of Nastasic