Roy Keane’s bitter feud with Sir Alex Ferguson all began over an argument on a pre-season tour of Portugal where the midfield ace complained about his villa

ROY KEANE’S extraordinary fallout with boss Sir Alex Ferguson all began over a holiday villa.

The ex-Manchester United midfielder was famously axed by the no-nonsense Scottish boss after a furious bust-up in 2005.

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It was believed Ferguson decided to cut ties with the fiery Irishman over an interview with MUTV where he criticised his own team-mates after a 4-1 defeat to Middlesbrough.

But according to former Man United goalkeeping coach Tony Coton, the bitter feud started during a pre-season tour.

Following a season of disappointment which was topped off by an FA Cup final defeat to Arsenal, Fergie wanted his players to come back from the summer in top condition.

He arranged for the pre-season trip to Portugal to start earlier than expected and had booked villas for his players and their families.

But Keane was staying further down the coast on a family holiday in his own villa and wasn’t happy with moving closer to the training complex.

Coton told the Daily Mail how Keane complained that the “pool was too cold” and decided to have words with Ferguson at a family barbecue.

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Ferguson to exception to Keane's complaints and blamed the former Celtic man for trying to disrupt the squad harmony on pre-season.

Coton adds that Keane failed to show up to a pre-season tour of Asia a couple of weeks later but United's captain didn't attend.

Fans were told that Keane was staying at home to work on his fitness but in truth Fergie's and Keane's relationship had reached breaking point.

And the final straw was his interview where he slated the likes of Darren Fletcher, Rio Ferdinand, John O'Shea and Alan Smith.

He said of Ferdinand: "Just because you are paid £120,000-a-week and play well for 20 minutes against Tottenham, you think you are a superstar."