Man Utd's 10 Most Hated Players

3. Roy Keane

Gareth Copley/PA Archive/Press Association ImagesGareth Copley/PA Archive/Press Association ImagesOnce an undisputed Manchester United legend, Roy Keane's popularity among the Red Devils faithful has waned over the years. Since taking up the role of a TV pundit following the end of his playing (and managerial) career, Keane has come across as bitter, and has always seemed as though he has an axe to grind when it comes to his former club. Keane was unceremoniously booted out of Old Trafford by Sir Alex Ferguson in 2005 for criticising his teammates on MUTV, and the pair have had a broken relationship since. Keane still clearly harbours some resentment over what he undoubtedly considers bad treatment from his former side. Take for example United's Champions League defeat to Real Madrid last year. Nani had just been unfairly sent off by the referee for an innocuous challenge, and the Irishman was in the studio to deliver his verdict at full-time. Fellow pundit Lee Dixon gave a fair and balanced view of the incident, while Keane took the opportunity to have a snide dig at Nani by questioning his bravery. It is moments like this that have only served to undo a lot of the love and affection he won from United fans during his playing career, which was also an unpopular once among rival fans, particularly when the midfielder admitted to deliberately setting out to seriously injure Alf Inge Haaland. In recent years, United fans too have been starting to lean toward the persuasion that Roy Keane is not a very likable figure.
Contributor
Contributor

Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.