Rio Ferdinand believes Roy Keane is pointing the finger of blame at the wrong people at Manchester United following one of his latest tirades against figures from his former club.
After Manchester United sacked Ruben Amorim earlier this month, Ineos were tasked with assembling a new coaching team to try to steady the ship at Old Trafford for the remainder of the season.
United go into Saturday’s Manchester derby sitting seventh in the Premier League, with the ultimate objective for the team being Champions League qualification.
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Michael Carrick was appointed head coach on Tuesday, but he’s had to deal with criticisms from Roy Keane about his coaching staff before taking charge of his first game in charge, as well as a dig at his wife, Lisa Carrick.
Thankfully, Carrick isn’t bothered by any of that and wants to focus on his job at United until the end of the season. The head coach must avoid distractions while he is in the hot seat at Old Trafford.
Rio Ferdinand celebrates with Roy Keane
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It’s no secret that Keane and Sir Alex Ferguson haven’t seen eye-to-eye since the Irishman left United as a player in 2005.
“Hanging around like a bad smell” was Keane’s take on Ferguson because the legendary manager is still seen attending matches. However, any suggestion that the 84-year-old is making key decisions at the club is completely unfounded.
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In 2024, one of the first decisions Ineos made was to implement cost-cutting measures that included no longer paying Ferguson a seven-figure salary for his ambassadorial role.
Keane’s grudge against Ferguson has been going on for over 20 years. It’s one he seems unwilling to put down.
Former United defender Rio Ferdinand has hit back at his former teammate, stressing that Keane has been ‘disrespectful’ to more than one person at United this week, including Jonny Evans.
“I don’t think Sir Alex Ferguson has the influence people probably think he does at the club,” Ferguson said on BBC 5 Live.
“I think he should influence the club, but I don’t think he has the influence that people think he has.
“I think his presence is felt there. He goes to games, by the way. Is there many more people on the planet… Is there anyone on the planet who probably deserves a seat in the stadium every week more than Sir Alex Ferguson?
“So I think to say ‘hanging around like a bad smell’ probably airs on the side of disrespectful to someone like Sir Alex Ferguson.
“But the likes of Fletcher, the likes of Carrick, probably do call him. But they respect him. He was their manager.
“They’ve seen most of their career has been alongside him, watching him, do his thing. So why wouldn’t you call that experience?
“I don’t agree with what Roy’s said. I think that’s more personal and that’s probably between maybe Roy and his situation with the manager and stuff, but I don’t… I don’t know, man. I wouldn’t agree with that myself.
“Even the stuff with the coaches and stuff like that, and calling out like, Jonny Evans is a young coach, why shouldn’t he get a chance? Why shouldn’t he get a chance to come to the club? He knows every single player in that club better than any coach on the planet right now, other than the ones who have been there recently because he’s played there.
“He knows them all. Why wouldn’t you bring him in on your staff? I don’t understand. If you want to get to know what Kobbie Mainoo’ss like because you want to reboot him and put him in the team, I wouldn’t mind having somebody that knows him, who’s been in the changing room, who knows how he works close to me.
“Like, ‘how do we get a bit more out of Bruno? Because you know him.’ That’s the kind of conversation I’m sure that Michael Carrick is going to want to be having. ‘Well, sit down and tell me about every single one of these players because you, Jonny, have lived with them. And breathed with them for a couple of years now.’
“I actually understand why someone like Steve Holland’s there. He’s experienced. Michael Carrick wants some experienced coach alongside him. For someone like him, should have gone for what? Who else has got experience that he should have gone for?
“Like, I don’t know, it was. I didn’t agree with that and that’s where it starts. And that’s fine, he can have that conversation and have that opinion.
“But I don’t know, I just thought it was probably a bit… the gun was pointing at the wrong people.”
Should club legends protect the badge or tell the truth?🤔
Are former Manchester United players TOO HARSH on the club in the media, or are you happy for them to tell it like it is?
Does it matter? Are current United players TOO SOFT?
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Roy Keane has a target list at Man Utd
Keane has criticised many figures at United down the years.
It’s often the case that United fans will agree with the former captain, but he is no stranger to overstepping the mark.
“I am sick to death of this goalkeeper,” Keane said about ex-United stopper David de Gea in 2020.
He added: “I would be fighting him at half-time, there is no getting away from that. I would be swinging punches at that guy.
“This is a standard save for an established international goalkeeper. I am flabbergasted.
“I wouldn’t even let them back on the bus after the match, let them get a taxi back to Manchester. These are established international players.”
Keane also criticised Bruno Fernandes in his role as captain back in 2024.
“The first thing I’d do is change the captain,” Keane said.
“Bruno Fernandes is not captain material. He’s moaning all the time. He’s the complete opposite to what a captain should be for me.”
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