ROY KEANE’S FINAL days as a Manchester United player were one war-of-words after another, according to his new book The Second Half which will be released this week.
Today, the Daily Express posted a sneak peak of one of the book’s highlights: Keane’s account of the fall-out from his now infamous never-to-be-aired 2005 MUTV interview and the argument with coach Carlos Queiroz that appeared to force Alex Ferguson into pushing the Corkman out the door.
Keane famously turned Queiroz’ question of loyalty back on the Portuguese coach, saying: “You left this club after 12 months a few years ago for the Real Madrid job. Don’t you dare question my loyalty.”
From there however, it would seem that Keane could not hold his tongue any longer. Keane raised the prospect of mixing up the squad’s training routine. And after Queiroz protested that players instead needed repetition, the Express report:
“Keane replied by asking him if he always made love to his wife in the same position.”
That’s when Ferguson stopped the argument, but Keane would not to be hushed:
“You as well gaffer. We need fucking more from you. We need a bit more, gaffer. We’re slipping behind other teams.”
Edwin Van Der Sar, who had just joined the club the previous June was, according to Keane, the only player to object to his scathing assertions on MUTV by suggesting a ‘different tone’ might have been taken.
Keane’s response?
“Edwin, why don’t you shut the fuck up? You’ve been at this club for two minutes and you’ve done more interviews than I’ve done in my 12 years. It was MUTV – I had to do it.”
Two days after the meeting when Keane was summoned (via his agent Michael Kennedy) to a meeting with Ferguson and chief executive David Gill. The club captain knew his fate was as good as sealed: “They’re going to try and get rid of me.”
However, he was still shocked at how prepared Gill, Ferguson and the club were for the parting of the ways, illustrated by a prepared written statement that was ready to go before Keane had been told his future.
“They had it all ready. It was another little hand grenade they threw at me. Not an hour later, or two hours, or after the severance negotiations – it was already written.”
The Second Half hits shelves in Ireland this Thursday, 9 October.
