Roy Keane 'said some mad stuff' to Sir Alex Ferguson during explosive Man Utd bust-up
Man Utd icons Roy Keane and Sir Alex Ferguson clashed all the way back in 2005
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Former Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand has claimed Roy Keane said some 'mad stuff' to Sir Alex Ferguson during their bust-up back in 2005.
Keane was asked to appear on MUTV that year to assess the Red Devils' performance in a 4-1 defeat to Middlesbrough.
But while United were poor on the pitch that day, they quickly descended into chaos in the aftermath.
Keane didn't hold back, ruthlessly criticisng the likes of Ferdinand, John O'Shea, Alan Smith, Kieran Richardson and Darren Fletcher.
Roy Keane and Sir Alex Ferguson won countless trophies together at Man Utd
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Ferguson got wind of the interview before it was played out to the public.
And Ferdinand, speaking on his YouTube channel, has claimed Keane said some 'mad stuff' and that the squad was left 'cringing' as the row played out in front of them.
"We play a game on a Saturday, a player gets nominated on MUTV to do analysis of that game," he said.
"We get beat by Middlesbrough, everyone plays rubbish.
"Roy Keane does the video analysis and destroys the whole team, including me. He goes through people individually, hammers them.
"The manager, before it goes out, gets wind of it, cancels it going out, says it ain't going out anywhere, that is a disgrace, it can't happen.
"Calls a meeting at the training ground, we all go into the manager's office, watch it and the manager goes off.
"It's a movie in itself, everyone's cringing. The manager's going 'how dare you, I'm the only one who should speak about our players publicly.'
"Roy has a go back, it kicks off between the coach and Roy again, some mad stuff said.
"The next day we go into training, the manager calls a meeting as we go on the training pitch and says just so you know Roy Keane will never play for this football club again.'
Asked what message Ferguson's comments sent to the squad, Ferdinand added: 'Shiver me timbers. Do not **** with this guy, do not mess with Sir Alex.
"This guy is the truth. This guy is the coldest dude about.
"This is our captain, this is a legend of the football club, a phenomenal player, a great guy to have around the place when the chips are down.
"You know you can look to your right and go Roy, where do we go now?
"The manager says not on my watch, this ain't happening. My man is done, he's done.
"He's doing that, he will never wear this kit again, looking around and all of a sudden he goes, 'let's go and train.'"
As for Keane, the United icon said in 2019 that he would 'never forgive' Ferguson following their explosive argument.
“As much as I’m not one to hold a grudge, I wouldn’t forgive Ferguson,” he told the Off the Ball Podcast.
"The media spin, how I apparently upset everybody, it was all nonsense.
“I don’t care if it’s Alex Ferguson or the Pope, you’re going to defend yourself.
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Man Utd hero Rio Ferdinand spent three years playing alongside Roy Keane
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“I think when he apologises I will probably say hello to him, yeah. But I’ve no interest in speaking to the man.”
He continued: "People talk about Ferguson’s man-management. Don’t be kidded by all that.
“I was at the club when Bryan Robson left, when Steve Bruce left, two brilliant servants for Manchester United, and I didn’t like the way they were treated.
“People talk about Ferguson’s man-management. Don’t be kidded by all that.”
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