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Wes Brown indebted to mean Roy Keane

Asked to recall any nuggets of advice offered by Roy Keane, Wes Brown doesn't blink in volunteering the main thrust. "Pass the ball. Don't give it away. If you did, he'd slaughter you."

Brown utters this last bit with something approaching relish, as if eternally grateful for an experience that built character and mental strength in a youngster nervously feeling his way in a Manchester United dressing room dominated by the intimidating Irishman.

Back then, towards the end of the 1990s, it must have felt like a rite of passage. Sooner or later, the midfield enforcer's wrath was bound to come your way. Survive the storm and feel better for the encounter. The only alternative was to crumble and perish.

Brown took the first option. Not only that, he managed, more generally, to meet the high standards demanded at this monster of a club.

Now 27, the local lad from Longsight has hung in doggedly, his obvious talent as a natural defender surviving two serious knee injuries and a broken ankle to leave him as one of the more seasoned heads in Sir Alex Ferguson's squad.

As such, he can talk about Keane's return to Old Trafford today, this time as Sunderland's ambitious manager, with the perspective of one who knew the player at his peak. And seeing his old captain now, suited and booted dictating from the sidelines, hasn't exactly come as a huge shock.

"With the aura he had around this club, he was definitely the sort you'd think would go on to become a manager," Brown says. "In the short period of time he's been involved he's done great, getting Sunderland up. It's a harder task now, of course, but he's capable of doing it.

"Yeah, he used to dish out some stick but for me that was good. If I'm doing something wrong I like someone to tell me. It makes me play better. Some people are different, it makes them go into their own little bubble, but I was always fine with it. It made me concentrate more.

"Roy was someone who always got you focused on the game. He gave me plenty of b*********s in training and in games but, as I say, to me that's only right. If you're not playing up to the standards you can, and he knows you can, it's only right."

Brown is talking at the Cliff, United's old training ground, after visiting one of the many soccer schools the club runs in the school holidays. His appearance forms part of a new Premier League initiative entitled Creating Chances, which intends to showcase the huge amount of positive work top-flight clubs undertake in the community.

Settling down in an upstairs office after meeting the kids, Brown, a father of two, chuckles at the questions he's just had to answer. How much money do you earn? What car do you drive? How far can you kick the ball? And my particular favourite: Have you ever cried after losing a match?

Brown says he hasn't. But on the subject of creating chances, United's failure to take theirs in the opening stages of this season already sees the champions five points adrift of leaders Chelsea.

Keane or no Keane, returning hero or not, another home victory this afternoon, after last week's narrow win over Tottenham, would appear to be a must.

"We needed that win and we've got to build on it now," Brown says. "We've been playing well, keeping the ball, just not been very positive with our finishing.

"When Ronaldo got sent off and received his three-match ban and Wayne did his foot, we didn't have an out-and-out striker. That made it difficult for us. But we have definitely got the players to fill in."

So it's been a tough start. And given the huge sums of money spent by several competitors, Brown doesn't envisage things getting any easier.

"Lots of clubs have brought good players in so it's a bit more difficult to say now exactly what the top four or five clubs will be. In certain games there'll definitely be upsets. The standard's got higher. Premiership managers are working out how to play against the big teams as well. Without a shadow of a doubt, I think it will be harder this season."

It was certainly tricky against Spurs, whose discipline in numbers frustrated United for long spells. The visitors might even have taken the lead from the penalty spot if the referee had decided that Brown's goal-saving block had involved an arm. Not surprisingly, the player in question has been quizzed on the subject all week. Was it or wasn't it? We needed to know.

"Nah, it hit me on my chest," he says smiling, pointing to the spot. "I understand what people are saying because my arm comes around naturally, but it definitely hit my chest."

Brown's intervention that day came as a right-back, a position he has filled, in Gary Neville's absence, for every game so far. It's not his natural position - he was brought up as a centre-half - but over the years he has grown to accept the value of versatility.

"I always want to play," he says. "That's the main thing. If I was here and didn't play a game then that would be completely different. But I can honestly say that when I have been fit I've played maybe 25-plus games a season. That's a good amount. I mean, when everyone is fit, I don't get on the pitch. But it's a squad game. Throughout my time here - this is my ninth full season - I've always played the same role."

And if it's been good enough for United, it seems to be for England as well. Selected again yesterday in Steve McClaren's squad, Brown will meet up next week for the crucial double-header with Israel and Russia confident his country can qualify for the European Championship.

"We've got such a good squad who we know we can win every game. I know there's a lot of pressure but that's football. The lads will all come together and I'm sure we'll do enough. I'm sure we will. The team's too good not to."

Thank goodness someone's got confidence. Maybe it comes from his upbringing when winning became a habit. Then again, maybe it comes from people like Keane demanding the best.