“HAPPINESS is not being afraid.”
So said Roy Keane, the Manchester United and Republic of Ireland legend who left his mark on the game (and quite a few shins) during a glittering professional career.
In a little over a quarter of a century, he won seven league titles, four FA Cups and a Champions League winners’ medal.
His approach to the game was refreshingly simple.
“Brian Clough’s advice to me [at Nottingham Forest] before most games was: ‘you get it, you pass it to another player in the red shirt’.
“That’s really all I’ve tried to do at Forest and United – pass and move – and I’ve made a career out of it.” And what a career it was.
Nobody escaped his wrath…
If Keane wasn’t arguing the toss with other players or managers, he always had another target lined up.
In 2010, for example, he let rip at the atmosphere inside Old Trafford, openly criticising United’s home support.
“Away from home our fans are fantastic, I’d call them the hardcore fans,” he explained.
“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.”
He always said what he liked…
And liked what he said. Take the World Cup Finals in 2002…
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As the Republic of Ireland squad readied themselves for their matches at their base in Saipan, tensions reached fever pitch.
Keane wasn’t impressed with the facilities at their camp, and slammed the lack of professionalism of the Irish management’s preparations.
Keane finally snapped when McCarthy quizzed his captain over an interview he’d given to the Irish Times newspaper criticising the team’s management.
“You’re a f****** w*****. I didn’t rate you as a player, I don’t rate you as a manager, and I don’t rate you as a person,” he raged.
“You’re a f****** w***** and you can stick your World Cup up your a***.
“The only reason I have any dealings with you is that somehow you are the manager of my country! You can stick it up your b*******.”
He was sent home soon after. But they had history…
He could start a fight in an empty room…
The spat with Mick McCarthy wasn’t the only feud he had. The one with Alan Shearer, for example, was a belter.
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In 2001, Newcastle were leading Manchester United 4-3 at St. James’ Park when Shearer conceded a throw-in in a bid to run down the clock.
When Keane took exception and threw the ball at Shearer words were exchanged.
And then Keane threw a punch at Shearer. A red card was shown to the Irishman.
“He’d been given the red card, and he was waiting for me at the top of the tunnel,” recalled Shearer.
“Of course, we tried to get each other and we couldn’t, it was like hold me back, don’t hold me back, but we couldn’t get to each other, it would have been interesting.”
Wouldn’t it just?
Then there was Peter Schmeichel…
Another player, another fight.
Keane had a dust-up with his United teammate on a preseason tour of Asia in 1998.
“There was drink involved,” he later admitted.
Keane had been unimpressed by what he saw as Schmeichel’s showboating as the teams prepared to walk out and told the Dane what he though in no uncertain terms.
“I felt sometimes he was playing up to the crowd: ‘Look at me!’
“He said: ‘I’ve had enough of you, It’s time we sorted this out.’
“So I said ‘Okay’ and we had a fight. It felt like 10 minutes,” he said in his autobiography.
“I woke up the next morning. I kind of vaguely remembered the fight.
“My hand was really sore and one of my fingers was bent backwards.
“Anyway, Peter had grabbed me, I’d head-butted him – we’d been fighting for ages.”
The following day Peter Schmeichel sat in a press conference and simply blamed his black eye on a stray elbow he had taken during training.
And Fergie was none the wiser.
Talking of Fergie…
Though he had been United’s skipper in their glory days under Alex Ferguson, Keane grew disenchanted at Old Trafford.
He increasingly came under fire from his manager as he spoke openly about what he perceived to be wrong at the club.
Matters came to a head in November 2005 when having had a pop at everyone from John O’Shea, Darren Fletcher and Rio Ferdinand.
“Just because you are paid £120,000-a-week and play well for 20 minutes against Tottenham, you think you are a superstar,” he said.
Keane was referring to the conditions of the team’s accommodation on a preseason trip to Portugal, Fergie didn’t like it and decided it was best that Keane moved on.
“I said to Ferguson, ‘Can I play for somebody else?’ And he said, ‘Yeah you can, cos we’re tearing up your contract’,” he recalled.
“I just thought, ‘F****** p****’ – and I stood up and went ‘Yeah. I’m off.’”
He harboured a grudge…
Four years after Alf Inge Haaland had accused Keane of feigning injury during a game between Leeds and Manchester United, the Red Devils’ Irish skipper exacted brutal revenge.
During the Manchester derby at Old Trafford Keane went into Haaland with a high, straight red-card challenge that seriously injured the Norwegian’s right knee.
When Keane released his autobiography he recalled the incident and let’s just say there wasn’t a great deal of remorse.
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“I’d waited long enough. I f****** hit him hard. The ball was there (I think). Take that you c***.”
For his part, Haaland at least tried to stay positive as he awaited the results of his scan.
“I’ll have to see whether any of Keane’s studs are still in there.” He retired in 2003.
He didn’t always toe the line…
In 2000, Manchester United wrote to its members to explain that the hike in season ticket prices was partly down to Keane’s new £52,000 a week contract at the club.
Roy wasn’t happy. In fact, he was livid. Again.
“I’m not one for holding grudges but this was a stupid mistake,” said the man who waited four years to exact revenge on Alf-Inge Haaland.
But make no mistake, he was loved…
And then some.
When Keane had his testimonial at Old Trafford in May 2006 against his new club Celtic, some 69,591 turned up to say thank you.
It remains the largest ever attendance for a testimonial game in England.
All the money made from the game was given to Keane’s favourite charity.
No, not for anger management but for Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind.
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