- Roy Keane felt undervalued by Manchester United when they got rid of him
- He often felt Ferguson was fair but was ‘disgusted’ at how he was let go by United
Roy Keane has underlined his fury and ‘disgust’ at being canned by Manchester United in 2005 and insisted that he still feels blameless for his acrimonious exit.
The former Man United captain detailed how his 12-year spell was cut short in a heartless 10-minute exit meeting, leaving him feeling unappreciated and in ‘no man’s land’.
Keane was told by Sir Alex Ferguson and chief executive David Gill that they were terminating his contract just weeks after a seething MUTV interview in November 2005.
The midfielder had laid into his team-mates and stormed out of Old Trafford after a 4-1 drubbing by Middlesbrough in November 2005 – a game in which he did not play. That interview, which never aired, left Ferguson outraged as their relationship spiralled and and weeks later his contract was terminated.
‘I get my anger is obviously a long time ago but the worst anger you can have is the justified anger where you feel – again I feel – I hadn’t done anything wrong,’ Keane told the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet.
‘I was 34, I had a broken foot, and my contract was coming up, it was an easy fix for [Manchester] United to go, “Your days are numbered, alright, cheers, thanks a lot” – and I’ve seen players leave but I could have left in the summer.’
Keane spoke of how coldly Ferguson and Gill handled his exit in a blunt 10-minute meeting, leaving him and his solicitor stunned.
‘My solicitor, my client, who did all my deals, the most relaxed, placid man you’d ever meet, I’ve seen him negotiate – a very good man and knew a good deal – but he almost fell off his chair,’ Keane told Stick to Football.
‘Ferguson and [David] Gill went, “We’ve come to the end and here’s a statement.” I was like, ‘”Alright” and he was like, “What?!” I said, “Leave it Mike,” and they went out and I said, “Yeah, I’m out of here,” and he [my solicitor] couldn’t believe it – all within ten minutes.’
‘I just think if people think that little of you, I’m not going to go, “Well you know, I’m going to see my contract out.” Believe it or not, I thought too much of the club. I could have easily gone, “Is that what you think of me? But I’ll see out my contract, I’ll come in everyday.”
‘In hindsight, [I could have said], “We’ve come to the end, yeah, but I’ve got a contract with Manchester United just like you do with United” – you’re on about principles but when something like that is in front of me, I’m like disgusted with people, I go, “I wouldn’t even want to see you again.”
‘I was home by half nine, quarter to ten, my wife’s gone, “What’s happened?”, I went, “It’s over.” They still hadn’t done my termination, and Mike was like, “I can’t believe it’s happening” and then statements came out, then I found out that day I couldn’t go to another team – so I couldn’t play until January.
‘If I’d have known, I would have said, “I’ll just train with the reserves and get myself fit,” so I left Manchester United having not played for two or three months with a broken foot, and I couldn’t go to anyone until January. I was in no man’s land.’
Keane was captain for eight years of his twelve years with the Red Devils, having joined in 1993.
The Irishman won seven Premier League titles, four FA Cups, and was skipper of the team that won the Treble in 1999, becoming European champions for the second time in the club’s history.
He returned 51 goals and 38 assists in 478 appearances across all competitions for the Red Devils.
Keane had been a trusted lieutenant for Ferguson as the club dominnated the Premier League and the way his long-time manager handled his exit surprised him.
‘Ultimately, it was my decision [to leave Manchester United] because I still had a few months left of my contract until the summer, but I still don’t get how a manager [Sir Alex Ferguson], who I worked with for such a long time – and listen, there’s two sides to every story, I have no problem with that – it’s give and take.
‘I was good for the club and the club were good for me. But, how a manager with all that experience can’t sit down with a player – and I’ve been a manager whose made mistakes with players – but can’t sit down and go, “Listen, come the summer,” but it was all the way it was done.
‘The one thing I’d always praise the manager [Sir Alex Ferguson] for is at the time he obviously had to manage some really good players and big characters. I always thought he said the right thing, at the right time.
‘I liked the fact that he’s just got that balance right regarding being tough, or being fair with people.
‘I no doubt caused him trouble when I was a bit younger – whether it was going drinking, or going missing, or being late for training, whatever might be the case – but my issue towards the end is, and my anger I’ve always had at the end when I left was, I felt I did nothing wrong and I still have that.
‘Listen, if you do something wrong you hold your hands up and I did lots of things at [Manchester] United wrong – absolutely I don’t sit here for one minute thinking, “Well, I was this great pro” – far from it and my role at United is greatly exaggerated, 100 per cent.
‘But my issue at the end is, and I know everyone’s got an opinion – I did nothing wrong. It’s all well and good going, “I’ll back players and then I’ve got to do what’s right for the club,” no, no – do what’s right for the players.
‘Listen, I’m a big boy, I can deal with it. It was all the way it was done; it wasn’t nice – that’s the bit. Not that I had to leave United, no – again, that’s life.
After his departure from United, he went on to play for Celtic for half a season in 2006 but his career was cut short after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament and he was told by medical professionals to retire.
Keane subsequently went into management and spent time as the head coach at Sunderland and Ipswich, while taking up the assistant coach role with Ireland, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest.
Roy Keane was speaking on Stick to Football, brought to you by Sky Bet.