Roy Keane left the Sky Sports studio stunned after branding Sir Alex Ferguson and David Gill as 'hanging around like a bad smell' at Manchester United during the search for a new manager
Roy Keane left his Sky Sports colleagues speechless after suggesting Sir Alex Ferguson is hanging around Manchester United like 'a bad smell' as their latest managerial search continues.
Reports emerged this week that Ferguson, 84, held talks with chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox after the club sacked Ruben Amorim.
Darren Fletcher then admitted he'd sought Ferguson's approval before agreeing to step into the United hot seat temporarily, ahead of Wednesday's Premier League clash at Burnley.
Ferguson, whose glittering 26-year reign at Old Trafford yielded 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups and four Carabao Cups and two Champions League trophies, departed as United boss in May 2013.
Yet Ferguson has maintained a presence at United, holding a well-paid ambassadorial position until the end of 2024, while also serving as a non-executive board director.
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Now, ex-United midfielder Keane has delivered a scathing verdict on Ferguson's ongoing influence at the club, following his meetings with Berrada and Wilcox and his conversation with Fletcher.
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Speaking on Sky Sports after Arsenal's goalless stalemate with Liverpool on Thursday, Keane said: "Who is making the decisions at United, you have still got Ferguson and David Gill hanging around like a bad smell.
"Who is making the decisions? [Sir Jim] Ratcliffe, Wilcox? Who is going into the interview process, getting a feeler for them and saying, 'this is the guy for us'."
Keane's brutal verdict on Ferguson and former chief executive David Gill left the Sky Sports studio gobsmacked, with presenter David Jones and Gary Neville lost for words, whilst Daniel Sturridge couldn't contain his laughter.
The former Liverpool and Chelsea striker was visibly amused as Keane delivered his scathing assessment. Just moments earlier, Keane had put forward Eddie Howe as his choice to become United's new permanent boss.
"I'd go with Eddie Howe. I like him," Keane said. "I like what he's done. He's managed a lot of games. When his teams are at it, they'll play good football. He has his critics, but I like what he's done at Newcastle. He's managed seven or 800 games. He's still a young man. I love his calmness. Maybe Man Utd need a little bit of that.
"We've seen with our previous [appointments], we like people with emotions, but he's got that calmness. The job he's done at Newcastle, Champions League and winning a cup, I'd be happy to see him go in there."
Fletcher, who captained United during the 2-2 stalemate against Burnley on Wednesday, is set to remain in the dugout for Sunday's FA Cup clash at home to Brighton. The Red Devils are then expected to bring in a caretaker boss - with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer currently the leading candidate - until the end of the campaign.
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