Football pundit Roy Keane has delivered a characteristically combative response to the suggestion that Erling Haaland's father could appear on the popular podcast Stick to Football, leaving his fellow host Jamie Carragher in stitches.
Keane's Feud with the Haaland Family Reignited
The long-running animosity between Keane and Alf-Inge Haaland dates back to their playing days as midfield rivals for Manchester United and Manchester City respectively. The origin of the feud was an accusation made by the Norwegian in 1997 that Keane had faked a serious knee injury during a Manchester derby, when in reality the Irishman had suffered a ruptured ACL.
Keane never forgot the slight and exacted a notorious revenge four years later in 2001, with a high, reckless tackle on Haaland that earned him a red card. The incident has become part of Premier League folklore.
The rivalry resurfaced recently when Erling Haaland, the Manchester City striker and son of Alf-Inge, joked in conversation with Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer that he would 'need to bring his father' for an appearance on the show.
'Bring Them All In' - Keane's Blunt Podcast Retort
When Carragher raised the prospect of the Haalands coming on the podcast during this week's episode of The Overlap, Keane did not hesitate. 'Which Haaland? Yeah, bring him in. Bring them all in. All his family - no problem. We'll be ready,' the former Manchester United captain quipped.
His response prompted laughter from the panel, with Ian Wright adding: 'Bring your friends! Bring your dinner!' The exchange quickly went viral on social media, with fans eagerly anticipating a potential explosive reunion.
Keane's Advice for Manchester United's Kobbie Mainoo
Elsewhere in the discussion, the panel turned their attention to the difficult season of Manchester United's young midfielder Kobbie Mainoo. The 20-year-old, who burst onto the scene at 18, has failed to start a single Premier League game this term under manager Ruben Amorim, finding himself behind Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro, and Manuel Ugarte in the pecking order.
Keane offered typically direct counsel, urging Mainoo to prove his manager wrong. 'Sometimes a manager is on your case and what you have to do is prove them wrong,' he stated. He pointed out that neither he nor Carragher felt like automatic starters in their early careers at United and Liverpool, emphasising that 'every day is your chance to prove yourself.'
He also criticised the actions of Mainoo's brother, former Love Island star Jordan Mainoo-Homes, who wore a 'Free Kobbie Mainoo' T-shirt at a recent match. 'When he’s got his idiot of his brother doing all that stuff... you’re just surrounded by idiots, especially in families,' Keane remarked bluntly.
The former skipper speculated that Mainoo must bide his time, learn his trade, and force his way into Amorim's plans, rather than seek a swift exit. Manchester United's next fixture is against Aston Villa in Birmingham on Sunday afternoon.
