Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane has revealed how he was dismissed by the club following a big argument with ex-manager Sir Alex Ferguson and his assistant Carlos Queiroz.
Keane, who is currently the assistant manager at Aston Villa and the Republic of Ireland, has revealed all the details of that incident in his new autobiography entitled "The Second Half", which is set to be released later this week.
Although it was earlier believed that Keane's criticism of United players following their 4-1 defeat at the hands of Middlesbrough was the main reason behind his shock exit from Old Trafford on 18 November 2005, the midfielder claims that his bust up with Queiroz and Ferguson was the real reason behind his departure.
The 43-year-old Irishman says that he was first involved in a bust up with Queiroz, who angered him by questioning his loyalty to Manchester united during a preseason training camp in Portugal in 2005.
"He was just on my right shoulder; how I didn't f*****g hit him again - I was thinking, 'The villa in Portugal, not treating me well in training - and he just used the word loyalty to me,' Keane wrote in his autobiography, according to the Guardian.
"I said, 'Don't you f*****g talk to me about loyalty, Carlos. You left this club after 12 months a few years ago for the Real Madrid job. Don't you dare question my loyalty. I had opportunities to go to Juventus and Bayern Munich.'"
Keane went on to explain how he began arguing with Ferguson as well when the former United manager stepped in trying to calm the situation.
"You as well gaffer. We need f*****g more from you," he said. "We need a bit more, gaffer. We're slipping behind other teams."
After that the Irishman went on to reveal how his Manchester United contract was terminated.
"I said to Ferguson, 'Can I play for somebody else?' And he said, 'Yeah you can, cos we're tearing up your contract'. So I thought, 'All right - I'll get fixed up.' I knew there'd be clubs in for me when the news got out. I said, 'Yeah - I think we have come to the end.' I just thought, 'F*****g prick' - and I stood up and went 'Yeah. I'm off.'"
Keane also revealed how he later regretted his attempts to resolve the matter with Ferguson and Queiroz a couple of days after the bust-up.
"Now I kind of wish I hadn't," he further added. "Afterwards I was thinking, 'I'm not sure why I apologised.' I just wanted to do the right thing. I was apologising for what had happened - that it had happened. But I wasn't apologising for my behaviour or stance. There's a difference - I had nothing to apologise for."
