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Former Manchester United and Republic of Ireland captain Roy Keane was known for his tough tackling and fiery temper throughout his career.
It was a persona that allowed Keane to stay at the top of his game and get the best out of his teammates in the process.
However, Keane’s personality meant that he would sometimes cross the line both on and off the pitch, leading him to 13 red cards and a few public fallings’ out with players and managers down the years.
One such fall out came in the shape of former international teammate and Liverpool man, Jason McAteer.
The pair’s strained relationship boiled over in a fixture between United and Sunderland which saw Keane sent off for an elbow on McAteer.
As reported by the Peoples Person, speaking on Gary Neville’s Stick to Football show, Keane claimed that McAteer “deserved” the elbow which led to him seeing red.
As reported by The Mirror, McAteer has since responded to Keane’s comments, taking to social media to have his say.
“Love it. Players shouting their mouths off!!! Funny You can’t shut the clown up now,” McAteer posted.
“And no we weren’t team-mates cause he never showed up and when he did he went home !!!! Please !!!!! Bore off,” he wrote.
The “showing up and going home” comment is in no doubt reference to Keane’s infamous decision to leave the 2002 World Cup in Korea/Japan after a row with manager Mick McCarthy.
The United Sunderland game came in the season post-World Cup fall out and it was clear tempers were close to boiling over throughout the game.
A Sunderland equalizer and constant jibes from McAteer, who was seen making a “book-writing” gesture in reference to Keane’s autobiography released the season prior which questioned some of the Irish players, was enough to send the United captain over the edge in stoppage time.
The late lash out ended United’s chance of finding a winner on the day and McAteer’s side left with an unlikely point.
We await Keano’s response to McAteer’s comments but expect no courtesy to be shown from the United legend with his disdain for his former Irish teammate there for all to see.