Irwin hits out at timing of Keane book

Mícheál Lehane,

The usually quiet spoken Denis Irwin, who was at Manchester United with Keane for nine years, admitted he was surprised Keane had written the book now.

“I am surprised he wrote his autobiography when he did and not for the first time in his career I think he got the timing wrong,” Irwin said.

“He would be the first one to give someone stick in the dressing room if they’d done something similar,” the player said.

However, Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson is backing his outspoken captain.

Ferguson even believes that Keane will emerge from the furore over the apparently pre-mediated Alfie Haaland tackle unscathed.

“I do not think there is anything to worry about there. It’s an honest book and I do not think there is any case to answer,” Ferguson said.

Not even Keane’s criticisms of his team-mates at United have angered Ferguson.

“Roy is only saying what we all think. People will say he is having a go at the players, but he is having a go at everything including himself,” Ferguson said.

Irwin, who now plays with Wolves, believes that Mick McCarthy will tell a very different story to the one in Keane’s autobiography, which has been ghost written by Eamon Dunphy.

“Mick McCarthy is bringing out a book and he’s going to have his opinions. It can’t be all one-sided,” Irwin said.

The former United defender admitted that he’s still confused as to why Keane wrote a book at this time.

“I don’t know why he did a book. It’s certainly not for the money, but then again Eamon Dunphy is a very persuasive type of person,” he said.

Irwin also said the United captain could face a backlash from the players he’s criticised, such as Dwight Yorke, Peter Schmeichel and Mark Bosnich.

“From what I heard about Saipan I would back him to the hilt. I do not have a problem with that but I do object to him writing about and slagging off players who have left Old Trafford.

“They will come back at him and who knows if it could all end up in the high court?” he said.

Keane’s admission that he has battled with the booze also shocked Irwin who insisted there is no drinking culture at United.

“There might have been in the days of players like Norman Whiteside, Kevin Moran, Paul McGrath and Bryan Robson, but it’s all different now,” he said.