Manchester United training was more competitive than matches, claims former skipper Roy Keane

By James Andrew for MailOnline

Published: 04:51 EST, 26 June 2015 | Updated: 05:33 EST, 26 June 2015

Roy Keane has taken a swipe at Manchester United’s Premier League rivals during the 1990s and early 2000s by saying training was more competitive than matches.

Keane won seven Premier League titles in his time at Old Trafford as well as four FA Cups and described Saturday’s as ‘days off’.

During Keane’s years at United the likes of Blackburn, Arsenal and then Chelsea were their main rivals. But Keane says such was the quality in the squad that there was more competition in the build up to matches rather than the games themselves.

Roy Keane won seven Premier League titles in his time at Manchester Untied 

Roy Keane won seven Premier League titles in his time at Manchester Untied 

Keane says training at Manchester United was more competitive than matches 

Keane says training at Manchester United was more competitive than matches 

Keane said: ‘Saturdays were almost a day off for Manchester United because training games were harder than league games.’

During recent weeks young players like Jack Grealish and Raheem Sterling have been caught out by social media with pictures posted of them in compromising situations.

And Keane says if the same had been around when he was playing then he would have ended up behind bars.

He added: ‘If there was social media in my time as a player, I'd be in prison!’

The former Manchester United captain was speaking at a charity fundraiser for Barrettstown in Dublin and was also asked about his recent appearance in court where he was cleared of road rage charges.

Keane arrives at the charity event in Dublin where he speaks to a fan in an Ireland shirt

Keane arrives at the charity event in Dublin where he speaks to a fan in an Ireland shirt

Keane and Arsenal's Patrick Viera enjoyed some battles over the years, but the United man says training was more competitive than matches

Keane and Arsenal's Patrick Viera enjoyed some battles over the years, but the United man says training was more competitive than matches

‘I was in court last week because I apparently glare at people. He added: ‘My kids always say to me: 'Are you happy Dad?' And I say 'yeah' and they say 'well tell your face'.

Keane made light of his recent motorway accident when he was in a car with Ireland manager Martin O’Neill and the car they were in was hit by another car.

Referring to the famous occasion when his Nottingham Forest manager Brian Clough punched him after an on-field mistake, Matt Cooper asked him was it the only time he never returned a punch.

‘No a fella hit me few weeks ago on the M50 and I didn’t hit back,’ he said.

During the talk in Ireland, Keane said he hopes to return to management one day but is unsure if he will remain as O’Neill’s No 2 with the national team if they fail to qualify for Euro 2016.

He added: ‘Long term do I see myself getting back into management? Yes. I think there will be a job out there for me and hopefully I can do a good one.’

And on his future with Ireland, he said: ‘It's all ifs and ands. If we didn't qualify, do the FAI want to keep us on? That's a big question mark. Would Martin want to stay on? Martin's a very proud man. If he did stay on, would he want me to say on with him? If he's gone obviously I'm gone. Even if Martin stays on do I want to get back into the driving seat myself? We'll see, we'll see.

‘I'm enjoying the job. Do I see myself here in two years? Who knows.’

 

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