With Roy Keane allegedly embroiled in a row with Harry Arter and Jon Walters, we look back at the high-profile flashpoints of his career.
During an inspirational playing career for club and country, Keane took no prisoners on the pitch, just ask Alf-Inge Haaland, Patrick Vieira or Alan Shearer.
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It wasn’t just the opposition in the firing line, though. Never one to shy away from speaking his mind, Keane’s team-mates often felt the Irishman’s wrath.
His words continue to pack as much of a punch as his tackles, with the fiery Ireland assistant alleged to have been involved in a foul-mouthed altercation with Harry Arter and Jon Waters.
Manager Martin O’Neill denied a problem exists within some members of the squad but revealed Keane was ready for “reconciliation” with Arter in the aftermath of the row.
While we wait and see how this latest episode will unfold, here’s a look back at some of Keane’s most infamous spats…
Prawn sandwich brigade
Manchester United supporters came under attack in November 2000 when Keane launched a scathing attack on certain sections of the Old Trafford crowd.
Speaking after a 1-0 victory over Dynamo Kiev, the United captain accused those who attend matches in hospitality boxes of lacking an understanding of the game, which resulted in the media coining the term “prawn sandwich brigade”.
“Away from home our fans are fantastic, I’d call them the hardcore fans,” Keane said. “But at home they have a few drinks and probably the prawn sandwiches, and they don’t realise what’s going on out on the pitch.
“I don’t think some of the people who come to Old Trafford can spell football, never mind understand it. To win games by three and four every time – these people need fantasy football. They need to get in the real world.”
Alf-Inge Haaland
Keane hit the headlines in 2001 for a shocking act of retribution on Manchester City midfielder Alf-Inge Haaland.
Three-and-a-half-years earlier, the Norwegian – who was playing for Leeds – accused the United captain of feigning injury when he had in fact ruptured knee ligaments.
Keane didn’t take too kindly to his character being called into question and scythed Haaland to ground with a sickening high challenge in the closing stages of the Manchester derby.
Keane was initially fined £5,000 but further punishment followed when he admitted in a 2002 autobiography that he intended to hurt Haaland.
“I’d waited long enough,” he wrote. “I ******* hit him hard. The ball was there (I think). Take that you ****. And don’t ever stand over me sneering about fake injuries.”
Spat in Saipan
Keane was sent home from Ireland’s pre-2002 World Cup training camp following a tirade of abuse directed at manager Mick McCarthy in front of the rest of the squad.
After publicly criticising the training facilities on the idyllic Pacific island, Keane was summoned to a team meeting where things quickly escalated into a full-blown row with McCarthy.
Unwilling to tolerate the abuse, McCarthy admitted he would rather go to the World Cup a man down than have the “disruptive influence” of Keane in his ranks.
Keane was given his marching orders as his final chance to play at a World Cup evaporated, although he seemed quite content with the decision.
On leaving Saipan, he said: “I feel very good. Clear conscience. I am happy to be going home to see my family. I have no regrets, there are more important things to worry about.”
Manchester United team-mates
Keane sealed his fate at Manchester United in a frank interview with in-house broadcasters MUTV in October 2005.
The United skipper’s post-match analysis of their 4-1 defeat at Middlesbrough was so volatile that it never made it to air.
Keane launched a tirade against the entire squad, with Rio Ferdinand, John O’Shea and Darren Fletcher bearing the brunt of the criticism.
Of Ferdinand, he said: “Just because you are paid £120,000-a-week and play well for 20 minutes against Tottenham, you think you are a superstar.”
The interview effectively forced Sir Alex Ferguson’s hand. Keane was fined and never played for United again as his 13-year stint came to an underwhelming end.
Arter altercation
A WhatsApp recording, allegedly from Stephen Ward, surfaced this week, in which Keane was accused of swearing at midfielder Arter and veteran striker Walters in a training ground bust-up earlier this year.
The revelations came to light through a voice note Ward apparently shared with friends which was later leaked to social media. Walters was said to have come close to blows with Keane while Arter walked off with a volley of abuse ringing in his ears as Keane questioned whether he was injured.
Keane was said by manager Martin O’Neill to be “a little bit disappointed” with how the claims ended up in the public domain.
Sourse: skysports.com
