The former midfielder also aimed a barb at Steve McClaren (Pictures: The Overlap / Getty)
Roy Keane has aimed yet another swipe at former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, criticising him for missing a match to attend his son’s wedding.
The Irishman spectacularly fell out with his then manager after an explosive MUTV interview in which he went public with his desire to leave the club at the end of the 2005-06 season.
Friction had been brewing between Keane and Ferguson for some time, while another MUTV interview was pulled after the ex-midfielder took aim at several of his underperforming team-mates, and he eventually left United by mutual consent in November 2005.
Keane, who has always felt he was forced out and says he never received an apology from Sir Alex, rarely turns down the opportunity to fire a pop at his former manager and did so again in the latest edition of The Overlap ahead of this weekend’s FA Cup final.
He was taking part in a City versus United quiz alongside Gary Neville, Jill Scott and Micah Richards when a match from November 2000 was brought up, in which David Beckham scored after two minutes at Maine Road in a 1-0 win.
The ex-United duo had been asked to name the final score in the first Manchester derby they started together, with Neville wrongly believing it was the match from 2000: ‘I think this was 1-0, Becks free-kick, the boss not there. Do you know that game or was that later? Do you know the one I mean? Did you play in that then?’
When Jill Scott asked where Sir Alex had been, Keane could not resist sticking the boot in, saying: ‘His son was getting married. Obviously.’
Sir Alex was absent for the trip to Maine Road in 2000 (Picture: Getty)
In a very sarcastic voice, he added: ‘Because he always did what was right for Man United. But he obviously went to his son’s wedding, yeah.’
Steve McClaren was in the dugout in Sir Alex’s absence and Keane also took aim at the former England boss – who is now on Erik ten Hag’s staff – by suggesting it was the players who managed the game in Ferguson’s absence.
He continued: ‘Steve McClaren took it didn’t he? Steve definitely took it. Well, we took it! Steve was there. Steve was assistant to us that day, wasn’t he?’
In actual fact, the first time Neville and Keane had started together in a Manchester derby was in October 1995, which was also a 1-0 win, and Sir Alex was present for that victory.
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Keane has made no secret of his animosity towards his former manager, telling the Off The Ball Podcast four years ago: ‘As much as I’m not one to hold a grudge, I wouldn’t forgive Ferguson The media spin, how I apparently upset everybody, it was all nonsense.
‘I don’t care if it’s Alex Ferguson or the Pope, you’re going to defend yourself. I think when he apologises I will probably say hello to him, yeah. But I’ve no interest in speaking to the man.’
He added: ‘People talk about Ferguson’s man-management. Don’t be kidded by all that. I was at the club when Bryan Robson left, when Steve Bruce left, two brilliant servants for Manchester United, and I didn’t like the way they were treated. People talk about Ferguson’s man-management. Don’t be kidded by all that.’
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The former midfielder also aimed a barb at Steve McClaren.
