David Moyes sacked: Roy Keane says Manchester United players 'should be ashamed'
Keane also defends Sir Alex Ferguson for his role in hand-picking Moyes as his successor and feels that the squad have a lot to answer to after the manager was sacked on Tuesday
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Your support makes all the difference.Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane has tore into the current crop of players after David Moyes was sacked by admitting “some of the players should be ashamed of themselves”.
Keane was speaking on ITV ahead of the Champions League semi-final first leg between Atletico Madrid and Chelsea – a drab 0-0 affair in the Spanish capital – and the Republic of Ireland assistant manager felt that Moyes should have been given more time to turn things around, even though he did not have the support of the players.
“He (Moyes) had a hard start,” Keane stressed. “Last summer, when he took the job, the chief executive didn't get the deals done and they had a slow start.”
United suffered a torrid time in the summer transfer window, missing out on early deals for prime targets Thiago Alcantara and Gareth Bale before failing to prise away Ander Herrera, Leighton Baines and Cesc Fabregas from their respective clubs. Even Marouane Fellaini, the one player they did sign, cost them £4m more than a release clause Moyes inserted in the midfielder’s contract during his time at Everton.
“I think it's a shame - he should have been given more time,” Keane continued. “Some of the players should be ashamed of themselves because they really let him down.”
The 42-year-old made reference to ‘The Chosen One’ nickname given to Moyes after Sir Alex Ferguson hand-picked his compatriot to succeed him at Old Trafford. It was a name that Moyes was not a fan of, and Keane feels that criticism of Ferguson for choosing Moyes is harsh given that the decision was still up to the club’s owners, the Glazer family.
“You can't be critical of Sir Alex Ferguson,” he added. “It wasn't necessarily his pick, he put his name forward but the club made the decision.
“To be seventh in the league is disappointing and you still have to take responsibility for that but he didn't have the support of the players.”
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Following the match, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho also offered his support towards Moyes, admitting that he felt “sorry” for his fellow manager just like he would for anyone that gets sacked.
“I prefer not to comment,” said Mourinho. “I feel sorry for him, obviously, but I make no comments.
“I just feel sorry for David like I feel sorry for every manager who loses his job.”
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