Roy Keane not ready to forgive as he opens old wounds with Sir Alex

Alex Ferguson, Roy Keane TEAMtalk

Roy Keane admits he still feels hard done by over a falling out with Sir Alex Ferguson and the events that led to his departure from Manchester United back in 2005.

The Irishman was a hugely influential component of the success Ferguson’s side enjoyed around the late 1990’s and early 2000’s – but had an acrimonious split when Keane left United in 2005.

Following a series of disputes with teammates, Ferguson and the Scot’s No 2, Carlos Quieroiz, matters came to a head when Keane conducted an interview with MUTV in which he openly criticised a number of United’s first-team squad.

While the interview was never aired for public consumption, Ferguson and his Manchester United players did see it, leaving the United manager with enough reason to move the fiery Ireland midfielder on.

Fourteen years have since passed, but Keane seems in no mood to forgive and forget about the disagreement and still feels he was misunderstood.

“I wouldn’t forgive Ferguson. The media spin, how I apparently upset everybody, it was all nonsense,” Keane told Off The Ball.

“I don’t care if it’s Alex Ferguson or the Pope, you’re going to defend yourself.

“People talk about Ferguson’s man-management. Nonsense. People said he always had the best interests of Manchester United at heart. Darren Ferguson [his son] won a medal. He was very lucky.”

Ferguson had his own take on the falling out with Keane, insisting in his 2013 autobiography that he was left with little option other than to sell the United captain.

“He criticised his team-mates,” said Ferguson. “We could not release that video. It ended up with two young players being booed in Paris [against Lille] on the Wednesday.

“The meeting in the room was horrendous. I just could not lose my control in that situation. If I had let it pass I think the players would have viewed me differently.

“Throughout my career I have been strong enough to deal with issues like that. Roy absolutely overstepped the line. There was nothing else we could do.”

Manchester United, meanwhile, have been linked with three big-money swoops over the next two transfer windows, with a deal for a €100m-rated winger said to have been agreed.

 

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