SUMMARY
- Sir Alex Ferguson is widely considered the greatest soccer manager of all time.
- However, a former Manchester United legend refuses to agree with the notion.
Manchester United legend Roy Keane has made a rather stunning claim regarding former club manager Sir Alex Ferguson. Both Keane and Sir Ferguson share legendary status at the club, being at the forefront of some of the biggest successes in Manchester United’s history. However, despite being together at the club for more than a decade, the two don’t appear to have a good relationship.
During a recent appearance on an episode of The Overlap, Roy Keane delved into a conversation about the five greatest managers in the history of the Premier League with former Manchester United star Gary Neville. Keane, who now works as a pundit, had his say but curiously refused to give Sir Alex Ferguson the top spot. According to the Irish former international, the top spot is reserved for Pep Guardiola.
“Ferguson: people think it’s personal!” 😅
Do you agree with Roy Keane’s list of the top 5 greatest Premier League managers ever? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/2VP8gQOOIb
— The Overlap (@WeAreTheOverlap) May 23, 2024
The other four managers who deserve to be included in the list, as per Keane, were Liverpool head coach Jurgen Klopp, Jose Mourinho, Arsenal‘s iconic manager Arsene Wenger, and Sir Alex Ferguson. Neville, who also has played under Sir Alex, asked Keane about his reluctance to name the former United coach as the greatest manager in the league.
Pep Guardiola in the Premier League:
• 5 Premier League titles
• 274 matches, 203 wins, 34 draws and 37 losses
• 4 PL manager of the season awards
• First manager in history to win 4 consecutive PL MOTM awards
• Only manager to ever reach 100 PL points in one season pic.twitter.com/1Y06EB0YEA— BH (@MCFC___BH) October 14, 2023
Keane, albeit, maintained that his decision was because of “personal” reasons. However, it’s hard to argue about putting Pep Guardiola at the very top of the last, especially after his recent success. Since arriving at Manchester City in 2016, Guardiola has won six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four consecutive league titles. He has also won a Champions League title, two Community Shields, four EFL Cups, and two FA Cups with City.
The truth behind Roy Keane’s bad blood with Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United
The names of Roy Keane and Sir Alex Ferguson invariably pop up whenever there’s a discussion about Manchester United. The former United duo formed a very successful partnership, winning the treble – Premier League, Champions League, and the FA Cup – back in 1999. However, the events leading up to Keane’s exit from the club in 2005 had a great deal to do with why Keane refused to name Sir Alex as the greatest manager.
Shortly before his exit, Roy Keane gave a rather bombshell interview following Manchester United’s 4-1 defeat to Middlesbrough. Keane, who was the captain back then, launched a scathing criticism regarding his teammates’ lackluster performances, which enraged the then-manager Sir Alex Ferguson. The former United coach refused to let the interview become public and rebuked Keane for speaking ill of the team in public.
⚽Rio Ferdinand on Sir Alex Ferguson vs Roy Keane (via FIVE Youtube) | #MUFC #MUNews #GGMU #FIVE #SAF #Keane #MUFC_FAMILY pic.twitter.com/g86zaIOxi6
— MUNews (@MUNewsFC) September 13, 2023
This led to a falling-out between the player and the manager, which ultimately ended up in Roy Keane being kicked out of the club. While it has been nearly two decades since the incident, it appears there hasn’t been much attempt at reconciliation from either Keane or Sir Alex.
Roy Keane is Sir Alex Ferguson’s top pick despite the former’s misgivings
While Roy Keane’s bad blood with Sir Alex Ferguson was particularly evident when the former was asked to name the greatest manager in Premier League history, the same doesn’t seem to be the case with Sir Alex. Despite the animosity between the two Manchester United icons, Sir Alex has maintained that the Irishman was and will always be the best player he has ever managed.
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During an old interview, Sir Alex said, “He (Keane) is a fantastic player. To my mind he was the best players in all my time here, fantastic.”
The 82-year-old former manager further admitted that while there were more talented players than Keane at the club, like Paul Scholes and Eric Cantona, Keane’s obsession with winning, his desire to win matches, and his influence at the club made him different from the rest.