…may have been better to say it to someone other than Pravda TV though.
The Sun reports:
‘Roy Keane has slammed five Manchester United team-mates on MUTV as not good enough. The United skipper tore into Alan Smith, John O’Shea, Kieran Richardson, Liam Miller and Darren Fletcher in a TV interview — which was blocked from being shown by boss Alex Ferguson’
More from the Sun:
‘Roy Keane could be out of Manchester in the New Year transfer window after his amazing blast at team-mates. The United captain has already said he will quit Old Trafford at the end of the season.
‘Now, after naming five United players as not good enough for the club, his position at Old Trafford is almost untenable. Keane targeted Alan Smith, John O’Shea, Kieran Richardson, Liam Miller and Darren Fletcher — and all will be furious with the Irishman when this information gets out.
‘They were named on an MUTV programme called Roy Keane Plays the Pundit in which he was asked to assess the humiliating 4-1 defeat at Middlesbrough. The show was recorded yesterday afternoon but was so strong in its criticism the station decided to show it to manager Alex Ferguson. He immediately blocked the programme, scheduled for a 5.30pm slot, from being shown.
‘Keane is currently injured with a broken foot and is understood to have watched the game on a short break in Dubai with team-mate Ryan Giggs, who is also out injured. Still fuming, Keane flew back primed and ready to keep his appointment with the TV channel.'
The Guardian reports that Ferdinand also got a slating – did his ‘favourite’ paper cover that one up for him too?
‘Manchester United's season went from bad to worse last night when Roy Keane castigated his team-mates in an interview so explosive that Sir Alex Ferguson and his chief executive David Gill immediately banned it from being shown on the club's in-house television station.
‘Keane's criticisms of United's players were so extreme that MUTV's producers decided they would have to contact Ferguson and Gill for permission to put it on the air. A transcript was sent to Gill and, with Ferguson's backing, he ordered that the tape must be binned. MUTV showed a youth academy match instead.
‘The exact content of Keane's vitriol is not known but MUTV officials were described as being genuinely taken aback by the severity of his comments. The Keane rant has become an annual part of United's season in recent years but never before has he named names.
‘Rio Ferdinand, Darren Fletcher, Alan Smith, John O'Shea and Kieran Richardson are believed to be among those named and shamed in the aftermath of Saturday's 4-1 defeat away to Middlesbrough, their heaviest defeat in 19 months. Liam Miller, who did not play at the Riverside, is also said to have been identified.
‘According to those who were present, it became obvious within 10 minutes that the interview would be "explosive even by his standards" and beyond editing. On numerous occasions he was invited to tone down his words but the man who once claimed there was nobody in the Old Trafford dressing room whom he considered a friend continued to condemn Ferguson's players. He accused individuals of playing with their reputations, of not trying and of not understanding the principles of the club. "His attitude stinks" is a phrase that was apparently used. Ferguson's use of Smith in midfield was also thought to have been questioned.
‘United's hierarchy, in turn, are appalled that the club captain could be so condemnatory of his colleagues and willing, apparently, to create the impression that the club is in disarray. They believe his tirade would have done more harm than good and there was no way they could allow the screening an interview that effectively amounted to a calculated attack on attitude, morale and work ethic. The club desperately wanted to keep the matter from the press and MUTV officials have been ordered to make no comment.’