Roy Keane facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Roy Keane

Keane in 2014
Personal information
Full name	Roy Maurice Keane
Date of birth	(1971-08-10) 10 August 1971 (age 53)
Place of birth	Cork, Ireland
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
1981–1989	Rockmount
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1989–1990	Cobh Ramblers	23	(1)
1990–1993	Nottingham Forest	114	(22)
1993–2005	Manchester United	326	(33)
2005–2006	Celtic	10	(1)
Total		473	(57)
International career
1991	Republic of Ireland U21	4	(0)
1991–2005	Republic of Ireland	67	(9)
Managerial career
2006–2008	Sunderland
2009–2011	Ipswich Town
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Roy Maurice Keane (born 10 August 1971) is an Irish football expert, former coach, and professional player. He is famous for his time in the Premier League, especially as captain of Manchester United. He has won 19 major trophies in his club career, making him one of the most successful Irish footballers.

Many people see Keane as one of the best defensive midfielders ever. He is also considered one of the top players of his generation and in Premier League history. In 2004, the legendary footballer Pelé included him in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players.

During his 18 years as a player, Keane played for Cobh Ramblers, Nottingham Forest, and Manchester United. He finished his career at Celtic. He was a strong box-to-box midfielder, known for his tough and competitive playing style. This attitude helped him greatly as captain of Manchester United from 1997 to 2005.

Keane helped United achieve great success during his 12 years there. He won seven Premier League titles, four FA Cups, and the UEFA Champions League. After that, he joined Celtic, where he won the Scottish Premier League and Scottish League Cup. He retired as a player in 2006.

Roy Keane also played for the Republic of Ireland for 14 years, often as captain. He played in every game at the 1994 FIFA World Cup. However, he was sent home from the 2002 FIFA World Cup after a disagreement with the national coach, Mick McCarthy.

After retiring as a player, Keane started his coaching career at Sunderland. He led the club from near the bottom of the Football League Championship to winning the title and getting promoted to the Premier League. He later managed Ipswich Town. From 2013 to 2018, he was the assistant manager for the Republic of Ireland national team. Keane has also worked as a football expert for TV channels like ITV and Sky Sports. In 2021, he was added to the Premier League Hall of Fame.

Early Life and Football Beginnings

Roy Maurice Keane was born on 10 August 1971 in Cork, Ireland. His family loved sports, especially football. Many of his relatives played for local clubs. Roy started boxing at age nine and won all four of his fights in a beginner's league.

At the same time, he was becoming a talented footballer at Rockmount. He was even named "Player of the Year" in his first season. While many of his teammates got chances with English teams, Roy did not at first. As a child, he supported Celtic and Tottenham Hotspur. He admired players like Liam Brady and Glenn Hoddle, but later, Manchester United F.C. player Bryan Robson became his biggest hero.

Club Career Highlights

Starting at Cobh Ramblers

When he was 14, Roy Keane was told he was "too small" to join the Ireland schoolboys squad. But he didn't give up. He tried out for many English clubs, but none signed him. He took temporary jobs while waiting for his football chance.

In 1989, he finally signed with Cobh Ramblers, a semi-professional Irish club. He quickly improved, often playing for both the youth and first teams on the same weekend. His first senior game for Cobh was on 13 August 1989.

In February 1990, a scout from Nottingham Forest saw Keane play. He was so impressed that he invited Roy for a trial in England. Keane impressed Forest manager Brian Clough, and a deal was made for £47,000 in the summer of 1990.

Time at Nottingham Forest

Roy Keane found it hard at first living in Nottingham away from his family. He often asked to go home to Cork, and manager Brian Clough was kind enough to let him. Keane's first games were with the Under-21s team. He soon became a regular player for the reserve team.

His first professional league game was against Liverpool in the 1990–91 season. Keane scored his first professional goal against Sheffield United. By 1991, he was a regular starter. He scored three goals during Forest's run to the 1991 FA Cup Final, which they lost to Tottenham Hotspur.

Keane was getting noticed by top clubs. In 1992, Blackburn Rovers wanted to sign him. Forest was struggling and likely to be relegated. Keane negotiated a new contract with a clause that would let him leave if they went down. Forest fans still voted him their Player of the Season.

Forest was relegated, and Blackburn agreed to pay £4 million for Keane. However, a mistake with paperwork meant the transfer couldn't be completed right away. Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson heard about this. He called Keane and convinced him to join United instead. Ferguson quickly got the paperwork ready and signed Keane for £3.75 million, which was a British transfer record at the time.

Becoming a Manchester United Legend

Early Years: 1993–1997

Even with the record transfer fee, Keane wasn't guaranteed a spot in the starting team. Paul Ince and Bryan Robson were already strong midfielders for United. However, Robson was older and had injuries, giving Keane a chance to play. He scored twice in his first home game and the winning goal in the Manchester derby.

Keane quickly became a key player. By the end of his first season, United won the Premier League title. Two weeks later, they won the FA Cup Final, completing the club's first "double".

The next season was less successful. United lost the league title and the FA Cup final. Keane received his first red card for Manchester United in an FA Cup semi-final replay. This was one of 11 red cards he would get during his time at United.

In 1995, older players left, and younger ones like David Beckham and Paul Scholes joined. Keane became the most experienced midfielder. United had a slow start to the 1995–96 season but came back to win another Premier League title. Keane won his second double in three years by winning the FA Cup again.

The next season, Keane dealt with knee injuries and suspensions. He missed the Champions League semi-final, which United lost. However, they won another league title a few days later.

Leading the Team: 1997–2001

After Eric Cantona retired, Keane became the club captain. He missed most of the 1997–98 season due to a serious knee injury. Many believed his absence was a big reason why United lost the Premier League title that year.

Keane returned as captain for the next season. He led United to win the treble: the FA Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League. In an amazing performance against Juventus in the Champions League semi-final, he helped his team come back from two goals down to win 3–2. He scored United's first goal in that game. This match is often called his best as a footballer.

However, Keane received a yellow card that meant he couldn't play in the final. United won the final 2–1 against Bayern Munich, but Keane felt mixed emotions because he couldn't play. Later that year, Keane scored the only goal in the Intercontinental Cup final, as United beat Palmeiras.

The next season, Keane signed a new contract with Manchester United. He was voted PFA Players' Player of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year after leading United to their sixth Premier League title in eight years.

In November 2000, Keane spoke out about some United fans at Old Trafford. He felt they weren't loud enough during games. His comments led to a discussion about the atmosphere at football stadiums.

Controversies and Later Years: 2001–2005

Keane was involved in a controversial incident in the 2001 Manchester derby. He was sent off for a strong tackle on Leeds United player Alfie Haaland. This tackle was seen by many as a form of revenge for an earlier incident where Haaland had stood over Keane, accusing him of faking an injury. Keane received a suspension and a fine. Later, in his autobiography, he wrote about his strong feelings during the tackle. This led to more punishment from The Football Association (FA), including a longer ban and a larger fine. Haaland did play in other matches after this incident, but a long-standing injury to his other knee eventually ended his career.

United did not win any trophies in the 2001–02 season. They reached the Champions League semi-finals but were knocked out by Bayer Leverkusen. After this defeat, Keane suggested some of his teammates were too focused on money and had "lost the hunger."

In August 2002, Keane was fined and suspended for elbowing Sunderland's Jason McAteer. This was in addition to his ban for the Haaland comments. He used this break to have hip surgery. After his return, Keane showed his old determination, leading the team to another league title in May 2003.

Throughout the 2000s, Keane had a strong rivalry with Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira. A notable incident happened in 2005 before a game at Highbury. Vieira was seen arguing with United defender Gary Neville in the tunnel. Keane then confronted Vieira. United won the game 4–2.

Overall, Keane led United to nine major trophies, making him the most successful captain in the club's history. He scored his 50th goal for Manchester United in February 2005. His appearance in the 2005 FA Cup final was his seventh, a record at the time.

Keane also holds the joint record for the most red cards in English football, with 13 dismissals. He was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2004. He is the only Irish player chosen for the FIFA 100 list of greatest living footballers.

Leaving Manchester United

Roy Keane left Manchester United by agreement on 18 November 2005. This happened during a time when he was out injured. His departure followed growing disagreements between Keane and the United management and players. These tensions began during a pre-season training camp.

Another incident involved Keane criticizing the performances of several teammates after a 4–1 defeat. This outburst was considered too harsh by the club's management and was removed from the club's TV channel.

Keane scored 33 league goals and 51 goals overall for Manchester United. His first goals were in August 1993, and his last was in March 2005. Two weeks after another disagreement with Ferguson, Keane agreed to leave the club immediately. He was offered a testimonial game to celebrate his 12 and a half years at Old Trafford.

Keane's testimonial match took place at Old Trafford on 9 May 2006, between United and Celtic. United won 1–0. Keane played the first half for Celtic and the second half as Manchester United captain. The crowd of 69,591 was the largest ever for a testimonial match in England. All money from the match went to Keane's favorite charity, Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind.

Joining Celtic

On 15 December 2005, Roy Keane was announced as a Celtic player. This was the team he had supported since he was a child.

Keane's Celtic career started in January 2006 with a 2–1 defeat to Scottish First Division side Clyde in the Scottish Cup. He scored his only Celtic goal a month later in a 2–1 Scottish Premier League win. He then played in his first Old Firm derby against Rangers, leading Celtic to victory. Celtic went on to win both the Scottish Premier League title and the Scottish League Cup, which were his last trophies as a player.

On 12 June 2006, Keane announced his retirement from professional football due to medical advice. This was only six months after joining Celtic. Many former teammates and managers praised him, including Sir Alex Ferguson, who said Keane would be remembered as one of the best players of all time.

International Career for Ireland

Roy Keane was part of the Ireland squad for the 1988 UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship, though he didn't play. He was a key player for the Republic of Ireland national under-19 team when they qualified for the 1991 FIFA World Youth Championship.

When he first played for the under-21s in 1991, Keane was unhappy with the team's organization. He continued to feel this way throughout his time with the national team, leading to many disagreements. He was included in the Republic of Ireland senior squad for the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the U.S. He played in every game, including a famous 1–0 win over Italy. Even though Ireland was knocked out by the Netherlands, the tournament was seen as a success. Keane was named Ireland's best player of the campaign.

Keane missed important matches during the 1998 World Cup qualification due to a knee injury. He later captained the team close to qualifying for UEFA Euro 2000, but they lost in a play-off. Ireland qualified for the 2002 FIFA World Cup under new manager Mick McCarthy, thanks to Keane's strong performances. They went undefeated against strong teams like Portugal and the Netherlands.

2002 FIFA World Cup Disagreement

Before the 2002 FIFA World Cup, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) chose a training base for the team. Roy Keane was very unhappy with the training facilities and how the team was prepared. He was upset that the training equipment arrived late and that the pitch was in poor condition.

After a disagreement with coaches, Keane announced he was leaving the squad. He wanted to go home because he was so unhappy with Ireland's preparation. The FAI tried to get him a flight, but he had to stay another night. The next day, manager Mick McCarthy asked Keane to return, and he agreed.

However, things got worse. Keane gave an interview to a newspaper, explaining his unhappiness. McCarthy was upset by this and confronted Keane in front of the whole team. Keane refused to back down, saying he had told the truth and that fans deserved to know. He then strongly criticized McCarthy.

None of Keane's teammates openly supported him during the meeting. McCarthy then announced that he had sent Keane home from the squad. Because the deadline for naming World Cup squads had passed, Ireland could not replace Keane.

Return to the National Team

Mick McCarthy resigned as Ireland manager in November 2002. This opened the door for Keane to return to the squad. He had always said that McCarthy's presence was the main reason he stayed away. The new manager, Brian Kerr, talked with Keane about coming back. In April 2004, Keane rejoined the Irish team. He was not made captain again. After the team failed to qualify for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, he announced his retirement from international football to focus on his club career.

After retiring, Keane continued to express his unhappiness with the FAI's attitude and player selection. He felt some players were chosen based on media attention rather than skill.

Coaching Career

Managing Sunderland

Roy Keane chose to start his management career at Sunderland, a Championship club. He reunited with the club's chairman, Niall Quinn, who had been on the opposing side during the World Cup incident. Quinn encouraged Sunderland fans to support Keane.

Keane signed a three-year deal on 28 August 2006. Sunderland was near the bottom of the Championship table. Keane quickly made changes, bringing in new players, including former Manchester United teammates Dwight Yorke and Liam Miller.

Keane's first two games as manager were successful. Sunderland began to climb the league standings. Keane won the Manager of the Month awards for February and March 2007. His team started to challenge for promotion. Sunderland secured promotion to the Premier League on 29 April. A week later, they won the Championship title. Keane's achievements earned him the Championship Manager of the Year award.

In the 2008–09 season, Sunderland had mixed results. Keane had a public disagreement with FIFA Vice-President Jack Warner. Despite some good performances, Sunderland's form was inconsistent. Keane resigned as manager on 4 December 2008. Some reports said Sunderland players celebrated when they heard he had resigned.

Managing Ipswich Town

On 23 April 2009, Keane became the new manager of Ipswich Town. His first game was a 3–0 away win. In the 2009–10 season, Keane signed several players, including some from his former club Sunderland. Ipswich had a tough start, not winning any of their first 14 matches. Their form slowly improved, but they finished the season in 15th place.

Due to inconsistent results, Keane was dismissed as Ipswich manager on 7 January 2011.

National Team Assistant Manager

On 5 November 2013, Keane was appointed assistant manager for the Republic of Ireland national team, working with manager Martin O'Neill. Their first match was a 3–0 victory. Keane was considered for the Celtic manager job in 2014 but decided to stay with Ireland. He later said he felt Celtic "didn't make him feel wanted enough."

Keane also became assistant manager for Aston Villa in July 2014, doing both roles at once. However, he left Aston Villa in November 2014 to focus on his Ireland role.

In October 2014, Keane's book was released before important Euro 2016 qualifiers. This caused some discussion, but Martin O'Neill said it was not a distraction. In November 2018, Keane and O'Neill left their jobs with Ireland by agreement.

Nottingham Forest Assistant Manager

In January 2019, Keane became assistant manager to Martin O'Neill at Nottingham Forest. He left this role in June 2019.

Playing Style

Roy Keane is seen as one of the best defensive midfielders ever. He was a strong, dominant, and very competitive player. In his best years, Keane was known for his hard work, energy, physical strength, and tough tackling. This earned him a reputation as one of the world's top players in his position.

His playing style also made him famous for his temper and tendency to get yellow or red cards. He usually played as a holding or box-to-box midfielder. His key strengths were his stamina, intelligence, positioning, determination, and ability to win the ball. He was also a complete midfielder who could carry the ball forward, control the game, and create chances for teammates with his passing. He could even score goals himself, especially earlier in his career.

Later in his career, he changed his style to be more careful. He played in a deeper role to make up for less mobility after his hip surgery. He also tried to avoid getting so many bookings. Besides his playing ability, Keane was a strong leader and very determined. He also faced injuries throughout his career. Even though he wasn't very tall, he was good at heading the ball. Sometimes, he also played as a defender.

His former teammate Gary Neville said Keane "demanded the very best from the team." Steve McClaren, who was an assistant manager at Manchester United, said Keane "mirrors the manager on the pitch. They are winners."

Career Statistics

Club Appearances and Goals

International Appearances and Goals

Scores and results list Republic of Ireland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Keane goal

List of international goals scored by Roy Keane

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	16 November 1994	Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland	Northern Ireland	2–0	4–0	UEFA Euro 1996 qualification
2	6 September 1997	Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland	Iceland	2–2	4–2	1998 World Cup qualification
3				3–2
4	5 September 1998	Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Ireland	Croatia	2–0	2–0	UEFA Euro 2000 qualification
5	14 October 1998	Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Ireland	Malta	3–0	5–0	UEFA Euro 2000 qualification
6	24 March 2001	GSP Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus	Cyprus	1–0	4–0	2002 World Cup qualification
7				4–0
8	2 June 2001	Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Ireland	Portugal	1–0	1–1	2002 World Cup qualification
9	6 October 2001	Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Ireland	Cyprus	4–0	4–0	2002 World Cup qualification

Managerial Statistics

Honours and Awards

As a Player

Keane lifting the 1999 FA Cup as captain of Manchester United

Nottingham Forest

• Full Members' Cup: 1991–92

Manchester United

• Premier League: 1993–94, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03
• FA Cup: 1993–94, 1995–96, 1998–99, 2003–04
• FA Community Shield: 1993, 1996, 1997, 2003
• UEFA Champions League: 1998–99
• Intercontinental Cup: 1999

Celtic

• Scottish Premier League: 2005–06
• Scottish League Cup: 2005–06

Individual Awards

• PFA Team of the Year: 1992–93, 1996–97, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2001–02
• PFA Team of the Century: (1907–2007)
  • Team of the Century 1997–2007
  • Overall Team of the Century
• FAI Young International Player of the Year: 1993, 1994
• FAI Senior International Player of the Year: 1997, 2001
• Premier League Player of the Month: October 1998, December 1999
• Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year: 1999, 2000
• FWA Footballer of the Year: 2000
• PFA Players' Player of the Year: 2000
• ESM Team of the Year: 1999–2000
• Premier League 10 Seasons Awards: (1992–93 to 2001–02)
  • Overseas Team of the Decade
• English Football Hall of Fame: 2004
• FIFA 100
• Premier League 20 Seasons Awards: (1992–93 to 2011–12):
  • Fantasy Teams of the 20 Seasons (Panel choice)
• Premier League Hall of Fame: 2021

As a Manager

Sunderland

• Football League Championship: 2006–07

Individual Awards

• Football League Championship Manager of the Month: February 2007, March 2007
• LMA Championship Manager of the Year: 2006–07

Other Awards

• Cork Person of the Year: 2004
• Honorary Doctorate of Law: 2002

Outside Football

Media Work

Roy Keane has worked in sports media. He once said he didn't enjoy it, preferring a trip to the dentist! However, he later changed his mind. He became a football expert for ITV, appearing on Champions League and FA Cup matches. He also covered the 2018 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2020 for ITV Sport.

In September 2019, Keane joined Sky Sports to work on their "Super Sunday" program.

Personal Life

Roy Keane married Theresa Doyle in 1997. They have five children together. When Keane joined Manchester United, his family lived in Bowdon, then moved to Hale. They later built a new house near Hale.

In 2009, Keane and his family bought a house in Woodbridge, Suffolk, near his new club Ipswich Town's training ground. They sold this property in 2015.

In October 2014, Keane released the second part of his autobiography, The Second Half. This book followed his first autobiography, released in 2002.

In September 2023, while working as a pundit for Sky Sports, Keane was involved in an incident at Emirates Stadium. A man was later found guilty and given a three-year football banning order.

Triggs, His Famous Dog

Keane had a Labrador Retriever named Triggs, who passed away in 2012. He spoke about how much he missed her, saying she "went through a lot with me." Triggs became famous in 2002 during the Saipan incident before the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Keane once said about Triggs, "Unlike humans, dogs don't talk nonsense."

Journalists often mentioned Triggs, calling her "the most famous dog in football" since Pickles, who found the stolen Jules Rimet Trophy in 1966. Triggs was described as "the fittest dog in Cheshire" because Keane often took long walks with her after controversial events.

Triggs was featured in an Irish Guide Dogs advertisement in 2009. She even had her own profile on Facebook. When there were incorrect reports of her death in 2010, she was called a "celebrity" and a "household name."

Images for kids

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  Keane with Manchester United in 2005

See also

In Spanish: Roy Keane para niños