Roy Keane told Alex Ferguson that 'we need fucking more from you' at the infamous team meeting following his explosive MUTV interview in 2005.
While argument raged about the tone of Keane's interview (with Carlos Queiroz being particularly vocal), Ferguson interjected, hoping to bring the row to a close. Ferguson barked, 'that’s enough. I’ve had enough of all this stuff.'
Keane then responded by accusing Ferguson of letting his own standards slip.
You as well gaffer. We need fucking more from you. We need a bit more, gaffer. We're slipping behind other teams.
The new arrival Edwin Van der Saar chimed in, suggesting Keane moderate his tone. Keane had none of it.
Edwin, why don’t you shut the fuck up? You’ve been at this club for two minutes and you’ve done more interviews than I’ve done in my 12 years. It was MUTV – I had to do it.
Shortly after that, Keane went to Ferguson seeking an explanation as to why he'd been left out of a reserves match. Keane was stunned at what transpired in the meeting
'Roy, I think we've come to end', Ferguson began. Keane agreed to this. Pretty much immediately, David Gill showed a written statement on Keane's departure which had been prepared in advance of the meeting.
They had it all ready. It was another little hand grenade they threw at me. Not an hour later, or two hours, or after the severance negotiations – it was already written.
‘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, “Fucking’ prick” – and I stood up and went ‘Yeah. I’m off.
But Keane does have one regret about how he handled his departure. His one regret - apologising to Ferguson and Queiroz.
Now I kind of wish I hadn’t. Afterwards I was thinking, “I’m not sure why I fucking 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 is a difference – I had nothing to apologise for.
