01 February 2024 , 11:06
837
0
Roy Keane once went six months without speaking to Ryan Giggs at Manchester United.
The pair feuded when Giggs refused to attend a club function in a move that left the former Republic of Ireland assistant 'fuming'. The United icons played together at Old Trafford together from 1993 until 2005 but dragged out their dispute over a number of months.
Keane admitted that his teammate was usually good at fulfilling such requests but this occasion triggered a falling out when the 52-year-old was irritated by the Welshman.
It was not the only time that the former United captain was left not speaking to a Man United teammate. The blunt pundit detailed a period in which he did not speak to Gary Pallister for a year after the defender left a night out too early.
Keane explained on the Stick to Football podcast: "Me and 'Palli' [Gary Pallister] didn't speak for about 12 months [he left too early during a night out]. You just have these disagreements [as players].
Marcel Sabitzer completes Man Utd transfer after last-minute deadline day dash
"Palli's a good guy – I fell out with 'Giggsy' [Ryan Giggs], he wouldn't do a function one time at the club – I was fuming with him. Me and 'Giggsy' didn't speak for five or six months!"
He added: "You know [as a player] when you have to do something for your club – nobody wants to do anything at the club.
"I was like, 'Giggs you have to do what [the club] wants, we've all done it and it's just your turn next'.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 14: Paul Scholes of Manchester United celebrates scoring the first goal with Roy Keane and Ryan Giggs during the AXA FA Cup match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford on February 14, 2004 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)"Giggs was obviously good with stuff like that [doing functions] – it was just that day which I don't mind, he went, 'I'm not doing it', and I was just irritated by him – simple as that and we dragged it on for a few months."
It was a period Gary Neville remembered well. The Salford City owner walked in on a tense exchange where Keane and Giggs were arguing in the dressing room.
Neville said: "I walked in at 8am into the dressing room, I'm in there first, and then 'Giggsy' [Ryan Giggs] comes in and sits there – there were only three of us in the dressing room – me, Roy [Keane] and Giggsy. They started arguing!
"I remember Roy saying you've done stuff for your testimonial or something like that and this [arguing] went on for about five minutes. I thought, 'I'm getting f*****g out of here!' There's nothing I can do so I walked out, I came back in ten minutes later and they were still going!"