Younger football fans may only remember Roy Keane as a pundit famous for his harsh delivery of reality and the unexpected brotherhood with Ian Wright, an Arsenal legend, the club Roy Keane detested more than any other club he played against. Keane embodied leadership and wit and he was just the perfect player Manchester United needed in his prime.
Roy Keane played for 12 years at Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson, making a name for himself as perhaps the world’s most ruthless midfielder. This made him famous back in Ireland, as recently admitted by Oscar winner Cillian Murphy, who gave a shoutout to the former Manchester United captain as the most famous man from Ireland.
Cillian Murphy discusses Roy Keane fandom
Cillian Murphy is the rave of the moment, which makes the title of being the most popular Irish man at the point more valid. After all, he’s just won his first Oscar nomination and award as Best Actor for his performance in the atomic bomb movie Oppenheimer. By doing so, he became the first Irish-born actor to win the award for that category, and when asked if he felt like the most popular Irish man in the world, his response was soft as well as shocking.
“No one will be more famous than Roy Keane,” the Oscar-winning actor said. “I’m a big Roy Keane fan; he’ll always be number one for me,” he added. Murphy gained prominence for his role as Tommy Shelby in the famous crime series Peaky Blinders. The show aired from 2013 to 2022, allowing Murphy to build his popularity in the global movie industry.
Roy Keane, on the other hand, had an illustrious career. He spent 12 seasons playing for Manchester United. During his time at United, Keane won seven Premier League titles, four FA Cup titles, and one UEFA Champions League title in the infamous 1999 clash with Bayern Munich. He’s also one of the most successful captains who has ever played for the club.
Even though Keane made a name for himself at United, he played for two clubs before the Reds and one after his public meltdown with Sir Alex Ferguson, prompting his exit in 2005. Keane played for Cobh Ramblers and Nottingham Forest before joining United and he spent one season at Celtic before bringing down the curtains on his illustrious playing career.
Roy Keane hinted at Ireland coaching role
For many who don’t remember Roy Keane much as a player, the Irishman also had stints as a manager, firstly with Sunderland, where he initially enjoyed success, and then with Ipswich Town, where he worked for two seasons. Keane was also an assistant manager for the Republic of Ireland, Aston Villa, and later Nottingham Forest.
In a recent revelation, Keane hinted he could be returning to management to take the reigns at the Republic of Ireland as the replacement for Stephen Kenny. “International football, I enjoyed it when I was a coach,” Roy Keane said. “I liked the dynamics of it where you’re not in every day, and it’s not about bringing players in and dealing with the board or the academy. Yes, that does appeal,” he added.
While Keane waits for his chance to return to management, he continues to enjoy his time as a pundit, where he mainly works for Sky Sports. He is a regular feature on The Overlap’s Stick to Football podcast alongside Gary Neville, Ian Wright, Jamie Carragher, and occasionally Jill Scott
