Former team-mate calls out Man Utd legend Keane for a ‘fight’ after branding him a ‘clown’ | OneFootball

Roy Keane and Jason McAteer clash during a Premier League match.

Manchester United legend Roy Keane has been called out for a “fight” by former Republic of Ireland team-mate Jason McAteer as their feud continues.

The pair have a long-standing rivalry which dates back to their playing days with McAteer playing for the Red Devils’ arch-rivals Liverpool for five years.

McAteer and Keane also played together as international team-mates for the Republic of Ireland but they clearly rarely saw eye to eye.

Keane went through all his 11 career red cards on Sky Sports’ Stick to Football, including an elbow on McAteer in a match between Man Utd and Sunderland in August 2002.

Reviewing the footage, Keane claimed that the elbow didn’t warrant a sending off and that the former Liverpool midfielder wasn’t his mate.

Keane said: “He deserved it. I wouldn’t go that far [calling Mcateer his team-mate]. Just cause you play with somebody doesn’t mean that you are mates.

“Do you know what, what used to get to me is players who shout their mouths off.

“I didn’t mind lads kicking me up [and] booting me, honestly. But Mcateer, as usual, had plenty to say for himself.

“I didn’t deserve to be sent off in that game, absolutely not. If you ever look back in it, I didn’t even catch him.”

Responding on Friday, McAteer wrote on X: “Love it. Players shouting their mouths off!!!

“Funny You can’t shut the clown up now. And no we weren’t team-mates cause he never showed up and when he did he went home!!!! Please!!!!! Bore off.”

And, in an appearance on beIN Sports, McAteer was asked about the exchange – with the former Liverpool man joking that he’d “fight” Keane for a million pounds.

McAteer said: “Yeah [I’m tired of it]. I’d rather he came in here now, and we just go, let bygones be bygones. Let’s just be civil.

“Or we can get in the ring for £1 million each and fight it out! Eddie [Hearn], if you’re watching. Eddie Hearn, get him on the phone.

“Roy, come on. You’re better than that. And I promise to stop reacting.”

Keane went on to play 13 matches for Celtic after leaving Man Utd in 2005 but the Irishman claims he should’ve retired at Old Trafford.

He added on the Stick To Football podcast: “I was 34 when I finished, but I should have retired when I left United. I even lost a bit of the love for the game after that.

“I went up to Celtic, but my hip was really at me, painkillers for training… I tore my hamstring two or three times up at Celtic. I was commuting. I still had a year left on my contract and I rang Gordon [Strachan].

“I went to see the hip specialist who said the longer you play on, the worse damage [you will do]. He was talking about when I retire, about quality of life.”