Roy Keane blames the players for Mourinho’s sacking
Jose Mourinho was sacked after Manchester United’s 3-1 defeat to Liverpool last week and former United legend Roy Keane believes that the big players at the club are to blame for his sacking.
“I think the players get away with murder, the way they hide behind the manager,” Keane told BBC Radio 5 live. “With Mourinho, the players have thrown him under the bus.
“People say Mourinho’s been falling out with players; you would fall out with players when they turn up overweight or they aren’t training properly and aren’t producing. For some of them then to down tools, shame on them.
“I’m not Mourinho’s biggest fan – don’t get me wrong – but I can’t tolerate footballers who just hide behind their agent, [and] their pals in the media. It’s a bit of a joke really.”
Keane does not believe a similar situation could ever have developed during his time at United.
“People might say I’m a bit old school, but I don’t call it ‘old school’, I call it ‘good school’,” he continued.
“No matter what’s going on at your club, when you go out on that pitch – particularly at a big club like United – you go out and give it your all, no excuses. That doesn’t mean to say you’re going to play well.
“This idea that players are a little bit upset… It’s not just at United, the modern players are very weak, you can’t say a word to them.
“I was very lucky with the dressing rooms that I was in, where there were good men, good leaders, good characters. That is definitely in shortage in the game now.
“I know the game has changed a little bit, but the players do get away with murder and it’s really frustrating. It wouldn’t have happened in our dressing room, just for the fact that we wouldn’t have tolerated lads not putting a shift in.”
