Roy Keane: ‘It’s good to be back’

We’ve heard about the Schmeichel headbutt, and his near miss with Robbie Savage. With Roy Keane’s autobiography going on sale this afternoon here’s some other titbits we can look forward to

Roy Keane  with Roddy Doyle during his book launch at the Aviva Stadium. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire.
Roy Keane with Roddy Doyle during his book launch at the Aviva Stadium. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire.

With Mick McCarthy no longer in the picture, Brian Kerr brought Keane back into the fold against Romania in May, 2004

“My first game back was a friendly against Romania, at Lansdowne Road. We won 1-0; Matty Holland scored.

“It was good to be back, really, really emotional.

“I’d always loved the bus journey to the games. Kid waving flags - I used to love all that. And the rebel songs on the bus - I enjoyed the; it was tradition.

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“We were on the bus going to Lansdowne, and we got stuck in a bit of traffic. I was sitting by the window and there was a young kid outside, looking up.

“And he said ‘Welcome back.’

“It was like he’d been planted there. I said to myself, ‘It’s good to be back.’”

On his relationship with Wayne Rooney

“I probably didn’t warm to him as much as I had to Ronaldo. Wayne was a bit more streetwise; he was a Scouser. The only time I had a disagreement with Wayne, it had nothing to do with a pass he should have given me, or a tactical switch.

“We were in a hotel, the Friday night before a game. I was into rugby league and there was a big game on. I went to the toilet, came back and someone had changed the channel to something else. A few of the players were sitting there, giggling away.

“I said ‘Where’s the rugby league?’ I knew Wayne was up to something. I could tell by his face. I said ‘Where’s the remote control?’ He said ‘I don’t know’. I said ‘You fuckin’ do’. I didn’t exactly storm out but I couldn’t be bothered trying to get the remote control back, so I decided I’d watch the rest of the match up in my room.

“I came down the next morning and, obviously, I’m very good at letting things go - and Wayne was brave enough to come up to me. ‘Did you ever find the remote control, Roy?’ I think I told him to go and fuck himself. It was the only disagreement I ever had with him.

“I think he later claimed in one of his books - he has a deal to write 10 - that I sent a security man to his room to get the remote control, but that’s bullshit.”

On assuming the Manchester United captaincy

“When I became captain of United, I knew if I made a balls of it I’d have no one to blame except myself.

"I'd learnt from Cantona, Stuart Pearce, Robbo, Brucie. I found the off-the-field responsibilities - tickets, the creches for the kids, paying for Christmas dos - a pain in the arse. But it had to be done, and people expected you to do it.

“I organised a Santa Claus one Christmas, and I noticed - when it was too late and the pictures were being taken - that Santa had tattoos on his knuckles. It wasn’t one of my better moves.”