ROY launched another bitter war of words with Sunderland
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IT'S GRIN UP NORTH ... but Roy Keane wanted the focus to be football
ROY KEANE has launched another bitter war of words with Sunderland after confirming he is locked in a legal battle with the Black Cats.
Revealing fresh details of his shock exit in December, Keane claimed he was pushed out. Keano took a stand against the club when told to move his family to the North East. He also hated interference on issues like club bigwigs advising him when to stage training sessions.
The Irishman — who accuses the Premier League strugglers of lacking a winning mentality — claims the final straw came when chairman Niall Quinn insisted players should come to work with a ‘smile on their face’.
Keane, who fell out with billionaire tycoon Ellis Short, the club’s major shareholder, would not reveal details of his legal spat with the club. But it is believed to relate to bonuses that Keane claims he is entitled to if the Black Cats avoid relegation.
Keane, 37, has already accused his replacement Ricky Sbragia of being too pally with the squad and insists some of the players are not fit enough. He said: “I have no problem with explaining myself. You’re answerable to the people who run the club. Don’t think for a minute I never spoke to Niall Quinn.
“People have this impression that I didn’t have to answer to anybody, that’s rubbish. “But people telling me what to do, when to be training, where I should be living, and that the players should be coming in with smiles on their faces. That’s when there’s trouble.
“The first day I was shown around I said ‘people have been taking the mick out of this club for too long’. “It was all ‘we want to be winners, we want to be driven’ and I tried to bring that to the club. “Then, all of a sudden I’m told we need players to come in with a smile on their face. That’s why my relationship had to end with Sunderland. I have no regrets — I’d do the same thing again tomorrow.
“I only ever smiled when I won. I worry for players who smile when they lose. “But I do have a different mindset to millions of people on this planet, be it football or life itself.”
New Ipswich boss Keane is expected to raid Sunderland in the summer with Daryl Murphy, Carlos Edwards, Dean Whitehead and Nyron Nosworthy his top targets.
But fellow Irishman Andy Reid is not on his list. He added: “He doesn’t deserve to be in the Ireland squad at the moment. I find it hard to accept players saying they could be fitter.”