Roy Keane blasts 'childish' Ian Wright in disagreement over player's transfer demand
Roy Keane disagreed with fellow pundit Ian Wright when discussing one of the Irishman's failed signings during his short spell as Sunderland head coach
by Ben Crawford · The MirrorRoy Keane dubbed Ian Wright ‘childish’ as the pair clashed in a heated goalkeeping transfer debate.
Tenacious Irishman Keane tried his hand at management after hanging up his boots in 2006 after enjoying a swansong stint with Celtic – the former Manchester United skipper launching his career in the dugout with Sunderland.
He also proved a hit in his debut season, guiding a bottom-table side to the Championship title and keeping them in the Premier League the following campaign.
A falling out with then-owner Ellis Short saw Keane walk away from the club, but it was during this period at the Stadium of Light that Keane experienced the transfer faux pas, which led him to clash with ex-Arsenal man Wright.
When discussing former United star David de Gea bringing a goalkeeping coach with him upon signing for the club from Atletico Madrid in 2011, Keane related the ordeal to one of his scuppered signings in charge of The Black Cats.
“I remember I tried to sign a player years ago when I was at Sunderland, and part of the deal he wanted to bring his own goalkeeping coach because he had him at the club,” Keane recalled on Stick to Football, brought to you by Sky Bet.
“They became mates, you see, played golf together and all that. I said ‘no,’ and he said, “But I want..’ I said: ‘No, I've already got a really good goalkeeper coach. Sometimes, actually, it would be good for you to have a different voice to hear.’
"He went: ‘No, no’, and I said: ‘We’re not doing the deal.’ He wants to bring his goalkeeping coach with him. That’s the other issue you have with goalkeepers. They become mates with people."
Wright clearly disagreed with Keane’s decision to deny the unnamed goalkeeper a move because he wished to bring along his coach, asking: “Yeah, but Roy... You didn’t sign him off the back of that?” Keane duly replied: “No, because I had a really good goalkeeper coach; why would I bring another goalkeeping coach?”
Wright then took his stance: “You’re interested in the goalkeeper. You liked him in the first place. You should’ve got rid of the goalkeeping coach, bring his guy in, yeah.” To which Keane clapped back: “You’re being childish now. You’re not being serious, are you? I can't do that, Jesus Christ.”
Keane’s time as a manager was over almost as quickly as it started, with him enduring a mediocre spell with Ipswich Town after leaving Sunderland before being relieved of his duties in 2011.
The 53-year-old hasn’t been handed a head coaching job since, focusing now on punditry for Sky Sports, where he appears alongside colleagues like Wright and ex-team-mate Gary Neville.
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