Roy Keane Reveals the Moment He 'Gave Up' on Man Utd and Erik ten Hag

The former Manchester United captain does not "recognize" the club.
Roy Keane did not hold back his thoughts on Manchester United's current form.
Roy Keane did not hold back his thoughts on Manchester United's current form. / IMAGO/PA Images

Manchester United legend Roy Keane expressed his disappointment and frustration over the Red Devils' current form under Erik ten Hag.

The noise surrounding Manchester United gets louder and louder by the day, even when the Red Devils are off on international duty. Whether it's injuries to Alejandro Garnacho and Harry Maguire or the latest status on Ten Hag's job, United is arguably the most talked about Premier League club at the moment.

The Red Devils' record-breaking poor start to the 2024–25 season even has Keane slamming the state of the club. The former captain sat down with Wayne Rooney, Gary Neville, Ian Wright and Jill Scott on an episode of Stick to Football and revealed the aftermath of United's 1–1 draw with FC Twente made him lose hope.

"When players are coming out after the [FC Twente match] and going, 'I think they might've wanted it more than us,' I kind of gave up at that stage," Keane said. "If that's the noise coming out of the dressing room, then no wonder the manager's in trouble. No wonder they're not going to win football matches."

"But that's where United are—it's hit and miss," he continued. "They win a few games, but they're going to lose plenty. They're too open. They're not athletic. They don't score enough goals. I'm not sure there's a team there."

"I don't recognize this team. I don't recognize the club," Keane said. "I would be disgusted if I came in after a game and I felt another team wanted it more than us."

In his playing days, Keane spent 12 years at United and topped the Premier League seven times, won four FA Cup titles and the 1999 Champions League. Now, 27 years after Keane's debut for the Red Devils, United sits 14th in the Premier League with only eight points from its first seven fixtures.

Ten Hag broke his own record for United's worst start to a Premier League campaign, earning one point less than he had last season through seven EPL games. If United return from international break and show no improvement against Brentford, the pressure on Ten Hag will reach new heights.


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Amanda Langell
AMANDA LANGELL

Amanda Langell is a Sports Illustrated Soccer freelance writer covering the European game and international competitions.