Roy Keane analysed the spat between Erik ten Hag and Jadon Sancho by thinking back to his early management years at Sunderland.
Former Sunderland manager and Manchester United legend Roy Keane has branded players he fell out with during his fiery spell in the North East as ‘idiots’.
Keane’s time with the Black Cats didn’t come without controversy. One day stars Tobias Hysen, Martin Fulop and Anthony Stokes were left out of a matchday squad for failing to turn up for the bus on time. Other anecdotes include the former midfielder kung-fu kicking a tactics board, swearing at players and training ground fallouts.
Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Keane thought back to his management strategy in light of the high-profile spat between Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag and winger Jadon Sancho – the player claimed to be a ‘scapegoat’ when publicly shamed for his training performances by the Red Devils boss, who now awaits an apology to welcome the Englishman back into the side.
Keane said: “I don’t think I ever did anything wrong [to require an apology]. Maybe when I was sent off, I must’ve said ‘sorry lads’. I must’ve said sorry in the dressing room after if I’d been sent off, and I would have no problem. Jokes aside, If I’d done something wrong, apologising, absolutely no problem.”
“I fell out with a few [players, while managing]. I didn’t banish them, but I fell out with lads when I was manager of Sunderland, Ipswich, when I was working with Martin [O’Neill] at Ireland. I look back and I analyse it, and I was convinced – and I still am – that I was right.