Roy Keane doesn’t mess about but when he does, he messes about.
The Manchester United legend didn’t exactly give former teammate Gary Neville much time to settle into his new job in Spain as he has already taken a swipe at the new Valencia head coach but it was all in good fun.
Neville took charge of his first game on Wednesday night as Valencia lost 2-0 at home to Lyon and were sent tumbling into the Europa League.
And speaking on ITV at full time, Keane didn’t waste time in jokingly criticising the likelihood of Neville blaming the defeat on player injuries and fixture congestion.
Keane said: “You look at afterwards, he’s talking about fixture pile-ups and injuries… He’s making up excuses already.”
As light-hearted as the dig was, Keane admitted that he had been left confused by the fact that the former right back only signed a six-month contract at the Mestalla.
“I think the bit I’m puzzled about is,” Keane continued. “He’s talking about the opportunity but then he’s talking about his commitment to the club and obviously I know it’s coming from the owner maybe, but he’s signed a six-month contract. That’s the bit I’m puzzled by.
“I know he’s keeping his options open because he’s still working with England but if you’re sitting down with an owner and he talking about committing to the club and he’s saying, ‘You’re the man for us, here’s a six-month deal’, it seems a bit strange.”
Keane knows only too well the difference between management and punditry and, despite his early worries, he remains hopeful that his former teammate is a success in the dugout.
“It’s completely different,” he explained. “I think Gary’s head will be spinning tonight after the game, after the defeat. The emotions of it. It’s chalk and cheese from being a pundit to managing on the sideline, to working with players, man-management skills and he’ll have the problem with the language, although I’m sure Phil will help him out with that.
“Fingers crossed he does well because it was an opportunity he couldn’t turn down. It’s a big challenge for him.”
