“You could feel he just wanted what was best for the team” – Mikael Silvestre opens up on playing alongside former Manchester United star

Former Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre has opened up on playing alongside Roy Keane.

Roy Keane joined Manchester United from Nottingham Forest back in 1993 and won seven Premier League and one Champions League title during his career. Full of strength, aggression and stamina, Keane is regarded as one of the best captains in the history of English football. Mikael Silvestre played alongside Roy Keane for almost a decade after joining from Inter Milan in 1998.

The French defender selected Roy Keane as one of his three midfielders in his all-time playing XI that consisted of former teammates. Keane was selected alongside two bonafide greats in the form of Paul Scholes and Zinedine Zidane, who Silvestre played alongside for the French national team.

About Roy Keane, Mikael Silvestre said the following during his interview with FourFourTwo:

“A great leader. Roy was a very good footballer, rarely gave the ball away and read the game well, which made him superb defensively. He had such a strong character, but I never saw it as a hindrance – you could feel he just wanted what was best for the team.”

Manchester United are a great way away from being the force they once were

Mikael Silvestre's best XI included a total of five former Manchester United players and the likes of Ryan Giggs and Ruud Van Nistlerooy on the bench. Paul Scholes, Cristiano Ronaldo, Jaap Stam and Edwin Van Der Sar are the other former players that made Silvestre's starting XI.

One of the biggest problems that managers at Manchester United in the post-Ferguson era have faced is the lack of faith placed in them. The club hierarchy has consistently failed to give managers enough time and signings that they ask for.

The club’s sketchy transfer policy over the past few years has resulted in a highly unsettled team incapable of playing according to any outlined football philosophy. The past few weeks have seen a number of players announcing their impending departures from the club.

United will quickly need to resort back to their former principles and start signing youngsters who can then be developed into world-class stars. While big signings seem imminent, the club needs to invest in a number of young and hungry players who can transform the way the team plays and instil a desire to outrun opponents. That will be a crucial job that new coach Erik ten Hag will have to complete if he is to succeed at United.