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Finally, the man himself
"Aggression is what I do. I go to war. You don't contest football matches in a reasonable state of mind
In just 20 words, the Manchester United legend described his career as well as his character. Keane has never been afraid of doing and saying whatever he truly believed. He has been making the headlines for his critical comments and fights on the pitch ever since he signed for United.
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In 2001, Keane took revenge on Alf-Inge of Manchester City by committing a horrendous knee-high foul after the defender had accused Keane of faking an injury in a previous encounter between the sides.
Apart from his fights on the pitch, he has also brutally assassinated many players and managers with his words. The Irishman did not refrain from criticizing his own teammates like Rio Ferdinand and even his manager - Sir Alex Ferguson.
Keane after tackling Alf-Inge
"I'd waited long enough. I fucking hit him hard. The ball was there (I think). Take that you c***. And don't ever stand over me sneering about fake injuries."
Criticizing Rio Ferdinand after United lost title in 2004
"We have one or two young players who have done very little in the game. They need to remember that and not slack off. They need to remember just how lucky we all are to play for Manchester United and show that out on the pitch."
It would be imprecise to remember him for just his harsh comments and brawls as there's no denying that he was one of the best midfielders of his time. He scored 51 goals for the Red Devils in 480 appearances and won 17 major trophies.
His attitude and behaviour cannot overshadow the fact that he was a consistent performer at United and led them to numerous title wins. In the year 2000, he was named the 'FWA Footballer of the year' as well as the 'PFA players' player of the year'.
He was an aggressive player who went on the pitch to win the game at any cost and inspired those around him to do the same. His tenacity, skills and contribution to the game will be long remembered.
