Roy Keane told an Ipswich Town fan to “wait in the car park” for him as he bit back at heavy abuse while on air during Sky Sports’ coverage of the 1-1 draw with Manchester United.
Keane, who had been on the Portman Road pitch analysing the game with Jamie Redknapp and Izzy Christiansen, confronted the supporter during an advert break after the full-time whistle.
The exchange across a touchline barrier took place just moments before he went back on air and prompted more jeers for the former United captain, who managed Ipswich from 2009-11.
As Keane walked over with his hands in his pocket towards the sideline, one fan is heard shouting at him: “You’re a better pundit than you are a manager.”
Keane took issue with one supporter in particular, walking up close to his face and telling him repeatedly “Wait in the car park”.
“Wait in the car park and we’ll discuss it,” said the Irishman adding, “I can’t hear you… wait in the car park”.
Keane has faced fan confrontations before while on Sky Sports duties at matches. Scott Law, 43, was handed a three-year football banning order and ordered to complete 80 hours of unpaid work in June for headbutting Keane during a “gratuitous and senseless act of violence”. The attack took place following Arsenal’s 3-1 victory over Keane’s former club United in September last year.
The pundit then quickly regained his composure to return to Sky Sports’ coverage and deliver another withering summary of United’s inefficiencies, saying new head coach Ruben Amorim had “big problems” to solve.
Telegraph Sport understands Sky chiefs had no immediate issue with Keane’s decision to go over to the fan. One source said he had been taking “heavy abuse”. Ipswich were three points above the Championship drop zone when he was sacked after an 81-game managerial spell of 28 wins, 25 draws and 28 defeats. Several observers said many home fans had spewed insults in Keane’s direction during Sunday’s match.
‘Amorim’s got big problems’
Keane was eventually guided back to the live broadcast by a member of the production team as fans then jeered him again.
On air, Keane had compared Amorim’s task at Manchester United to a “leopard” attempting changing its “spots” as he said the team’s “same old” problems were on display in an underwhelming draw.
“He’s got big problems,” said Keane. “You still have the same players out there and the same problems. We talk about leopards and spots – it’s the issue with United over the last year or two. The lack of goals, lack of quality in the second half. Ipswich haven’t won all season at home, and they looked a better team. If anyone was going to win, you felt Ipswich, were going to win it…. It’s his first game. There’s a lot to take in. It’s been about a week or two for him, but I think ultimately he’d be disappointed.”
Marcus Rashford provided the perfect start to Amorim’s reign with his 81-second opener but Omari Hutchinson levelled for Ipswich before the break, with United keeper André Onana twice forced to deny Liam Delap with stunning saves.
Amorim’s new side struggled to contain Ipswich at times and found the home defence in defiant mood. Afterwards, Keane delivered a bleak assessment of his ambitions for United this season. “He’s still trying to get to know these players,” he said of Amorim. “But I suppose at United, the vision is the league… do I believe this group of players have the quality to start getting United back up towards the top four, top five? I’ve been saying it for ages, absolutely not. The evidence isn’t there.”
Redknapp agreed, and predicted a major clear-out of players. “Right now, you couldn’t pick the team that’s going to be there in six months, because you don’t know who’s going to fit into what he wants,” Redknapp added.
