Keane slams Man Utd’s ‘disgraceful’ treatment of players and reveals he pleaded with team-mate ‘you don’t have to leave’
ROY KEANE has slammed Manchester United for their disgraceful treatment of players they have sold down the years.
The club legend departed the Red Devils in 2005 following a falling out with then manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
However it is not his own treatment that he has complained about, but that of his former team-mates.
He pointed to the exits of Jaap Stam and Paul Ince as an example of United’s shoddy treatement, with Fergie axing Stam because he was upset over an autobiography he brought out.
Keane defended the pair and revealed he told Ole Gunnar Solskjaer he did not have to leave when Ferguson want him out.
Keane said on the Stick to Football podcast: “Manchester United are a great club, brilliant club, but the way they’ve treated players over the years and the way they’ve let players go – Jaap [Stam]’s not the first or the last that I’ve heard from – it’s absolutely disgraceful. Paul Ince – there’s loads of others.
“A lot of these players who probably didn’t think they’d done anything wrong. They were good pros and all that. I know sometimes you have to move players on.
“I said to Paul Ince, you didn’t have to leave, you’ve got a contract. I think Ole [Gunnar Solskjær] had the chance to leave, he said no.
“But when the manager is saying that to you, and you’re so hurt, and obviously you’ve got your pride, it’s hard to stay.”
Stam, 51, made 127 appearances for United and was part of the Treble winning side alongside Keane in 1999.
FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS & NEW CUSTOMER BONUSES
He was sold to Lazio in 2001 – a decision Ferguson later regretted as the centre-back continued to play at the highest level for several more years.
Reflecting on his sale, Ferguson said: “At the time he had just come back from an achilles injury and we thought he had just lost a little bit.
“We got the offer from Lazio, £16.5m for a centre back who was 29. It was an offer I couldn’t refuse. But in playing terms it was a mistake.”