Roy Keane will see two of his former sides meet on Sunday when Manchester United host Ipswich in the Premier League. Keane is a United legend and managed their opposition between 2009 and 2011, with the Tractor Boys enjoying a resurgence in recent years.
Back in the top flight at the first time of asking, Gary O'Neil's side started the season with a 2-1 home win over Sunderland and now travel to Old Trafford. They meet a United team eager to put matters right, having suffered a shock 2-0 defeat to another newly-promoted team last week in Hull.
Keane's turbulent tenure at Portman Road
The fixture is certain to evoke some familiar emotions for Keane, given the Irishman's deep ties to both clubs, having skippered United for eight seasons as a commanding midfield enforcer. Following a distinguished career, Keane hung up his boots in June 2006 as a 34-year-old at Celtic. It didn't take long for the fiery midfielder to return to the game, embarking on his first managerial role at Sunderland just two months later.
He steered them to promotion in the 2006/07 campaign, but stepped down the following year, in December 2008. The now-Sky Sports pundit assumed control of Ipswich in April 2009, where he remained just under two years as head coach in a largely unmemorable spell that concluded with his dismissal following a sequence of seven defeats in nine league fixtures.
Throughout his period at Portman Road, the combustible manager fell out with numerous players. Such disputes, most prominently with Pablo Counago and Jon Walters, persisted long after his departure, and Keane's two former players subsequently branded him a "complete mess as a football manager" and a "liar", respectively.
Lisbie reveals dressing room tirade
Another significant confrontation involved then-Ipswich striker Kevin Lisbie. Lisbie revealed details of his fractious relationship with Keane on Undr The Cosh last year, claiming that he had attempted to erase the Irishman's spell at Portman Road from his memory as it proved so challenging.
Lisbie disclosed some of the former Manchester United captain's most explosive moments during his two-year tenure, including a dressing room tirade directed at other players. He recalled: "We had a pre-season tour in Ireland, we lost 2-1, and he spent 40 minutes just hammering players. [He said to certain players] 'You're going to be working in McDonald's in a couple of weeks... I heard we turned down a £1million bid for you and I would've snapped their hand off for it now.'"
Lisbie revealed that, despite finding the net on the day, Keane took one look at him and tore into him. He threatened to never select him again and to bring his time at the club to an abrupt end. He explained: "I'd actually scored on that day, so I was sitting with a smile thinking he's got nothing to say about me, he's going to compliment me, but he just walked up to me and said, 'And I just don't like you. I just don't like your body language, and I just don't like anything about you. Yeah, yeah, you suck your teeth at me, you'll never play for me again'. We went back, and I never played for him again, so at least he was a man of his word! Literally that was it, and he just said, 'Try and find a club.'"
Keane's pitch-side confrontation
Lisbie added that Keane had little interest in working with experienced players, preferring instead to develop younger talent, which he interpreted as a sign of the manager-turned-pundit's underlying insecurities. "I don't think he was too interested in having senior pros, I think he much preferred to have the younger generation that he could mould. I don't know if it's an insecurity," he added.
"Ben Thatcher was there at the time, he tried to get Ben out, but he was retiring that year. Roy said to him he might as well leave, but Ben wanted to stay. He got him in at 6am everyday and he lived about two hours away. I remember when he told him he had to come in over Christmas. As we were walking out, there was a helicopter over our training ground. It lands on the ground, and Ben Thatcher runs out in his boots! And Roy Keane was just like [shaking his head]."
Keane's turbulent tenure at Ipswich did not end only with his sacking as manager. The United legend over the past decade has established himself as one of Sky Sports' most beloved analysts, revealing a more affable side while continuing to deliver straight-talking commentary on screen. However in November 2024, the former Ireland international offered to settle matters with a pitch-side spectator during a match between United and Ipswich at Portman Road.
A home supporter taunted Keane from the terraces, prompting him to confront the individual during a commercial break, warning him he would meet him outside if he wished to escalate their fiery exchange any further. Explaining what occurred and why he was not seeking confrontation, Keane later told the Stick To Football podcast: "I wasn't angry at the Ipswich Town game. What happens when we're doing matches is and the analysis is happening at the end of the match when fans can be up or down, whatever emotions they are feeling – and people think they can abuse you, and it seems to be a, 'We're supposed to accept that'."
"I went over to him twice – I said, 'No problem, if you want to abuse me or if you want a discussion with me, well I'm working'. I went over to him twice at different stages, and he was swearing in front of kids. I said, 'If you want to see me afterwards' – and people thought I was asking him for a [fight] – I said, 'I'll see you in the car park'. Where else was I going to see him? He wasn't there!"
