Roy Keane has announced his intention to step away from punditry within the next decade, citing the hassles of travel and fan interactions as key reasons. The former Manchester United captain, who turned 53 on Saturday, has been a regular face on Sky Sports and ITV since 2011.
Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Keane said: “I don’t think I’ll be doing punditry in 10 years’ time. I love football but the hassle of matches, getting to games and the hassle of fans – I was in court a few months ago with somebody head-butting me – do you think I enjoy that side of it? Absolutely not.”
Keane’s comments follow a court case in which Arsenal fan Scott Law, 43, was found guilty of common assault for head-butting Keane after a match at the Emirates Stadium in September 2023. Law received a three-year football banning order.
Despite his frustrations, Keane continues to work for both Sky Sports and ITV. He recently covered Euro 2024 for ITV and is set to return to Sky for the new Premier League season. However, he made clear that the negative aspects of the job outweigh the positives for him in the long term.
