ROY KEANE HAS mocked his former Manchester United midfield partner Paul Scholes by suggesting his unexpected emergence as a television pundit may have been motivated by financial concerns.

Scholes was portrayed as a shy, retiring figure during his 19-year playing career, but he has become renowned as a forthright pundit on British television after signing contracts with ITV and BT Sport.

Former United captain Keane, who played alongside Scholes for 11 years, told Shortlist magazine in an interview published on Thursday: “People thought he was camera-shy; he just couldn’t be bothered.

“None of us liked doing interviews, but it was a responsibility of the dressing room. You shared the load. ‘Scholesy’s too humble to do it.’ Well, he’s doing it now, isn’t he? Maybe there’s more money involved now. And I’d tell him this if he was sat here in front of me.”

Keane, the current Aston Villa and Republic of Ireland assistant manager, has worked as a TV pundit for several years.

© – AFP 2014

Stephen Keshi to return as Nigeria boss two weeks after being sacked

Celtic midfielder handed seven match ban after being found guilty of using racist insult