It’s common for footballers to continue to refer to their one-time managers as ‘boss’ or ‘gaffer’ well after their time working under them has come to an end, but in characteristic Keane fashion, he has absolutely no room in his life for that kind of sentimentality.
Roy Keane left bewildered by concept of affection
Keane fell out with Ferguson nearly 20 years ago now (Image credit: Getty Images)
Also unsurprising is that Keane bristled at Sir Alex Ferguson, in particular, still being called ‘boss’ by Neville and co.
The Irishman has been at odds with the legendary former Manchester United manager for nearly two decades, going back to when Sir Alex fined Keane for a scathing post-match interview in October 2005 that never saw the light of day publicly, before sending the midfielder packing to join Celtic.
Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet, Keane demanded of Neville: “Why do you call him boss?
“He was your manager of a football club, his contract was with the club and your contract was with the club… why do you call someone boss? Do you call anyone else boss, besides your wife?”
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Neville quite reasonably responded: “I still call the school teacher who I was brought through by Mr. Wright. You’ve been used to calling someone that for 25 years… I would never call him Sir Alex, or Alex. For 25 years I called him boss."
A bewildered Keane rejected that explanation, saying: “I don’t get it. Not just you, everyone… He’s not your boss now, is he? He’s another human being, why are you calling him boss?”
Neville and Keane (Image credit: Getty Images)
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Steven Chicken has been working as a football writer since 2009, taking in stints with Football365 and the Huddersfield Examiner. Steven still covers Huddersfield Town home and away for his own publication, WeAreTerriers.com. Steven is a two-time nominee for Regional Journalist of the Year at the prestigious British Sports Journalism Awards, making the shortlist in 2020 and 2023.
