One of many, many revelations from the great Roy Keane book leak of 2014 was the fact that the infamous tackle on Alf Inge Haaland was not as premeditated as had been assumed up until this point.
There was no premeditation. I’d played against Haaland three or four times between the game against Leeds, in 1997, when I injured my cruciate and the game when I tackled him, in 2001, when he was playing for Manchester City. If I’d been this madman out for revenge, why would I have waited years for an opportunity to injure him?
Was I going around for years thinking: ’I’m going to get him, I’m going to get him.’? No. Was he at the back of my mind? Of course he was. Like Rob Lee was, like David Batty was, like Alan Shearer was, like Patrick Vieira was. All these players were in the back of my mind: ’If I get a chance I’m going to fucking hit you, of course I am.’
Haaland finished the game and played four days later, for Norway. A couple of years later he tried to claim that he’d had to retire because of the tackle. He was going to sue me. It was a bad tackle but he was still able to play four days later.
That's news in itself. However, when you add in the fact that Haaland has responded in a rather extreme manner, it becomes so much better.
Former Blackburn and Southampton attacker Egil Ostenstad decided to do everyone a favour and ask Haaland what he thought of Keane's latest musings on the tackle. Haaland certainly didn't disappoint.
Alfie. R Keane is at it again. Could we have a Twitter response mate? @alfiehaaland
— Egil Johan Østenstad (@Egilostenstad) October 6, 2014
He has since deleted the tweet.
