Big Jack hit by vitriolic volley from Keane

A BELOVED Irish manager, the most prized English football trophy and abusive fans — these are the latest recipients of forceful tackles by Roy Keane.

Jack Charlton, the Englishman who took the Republic of Ireland to the quarter-finals of the 1990 World Cup, and became an honorary Irishman, has been labelled a "bully" and a "joke" by Keane.

The latest instalment from Keane's autobiography comes just days after a £5 million lawsuit was launched against him for admitting to deliberately fouling Manchester City's Alf-Inge Haaland.

Keane blasted Big Jack's footballing methods and said he never impressed him as a coach.

"Charlton's achievements look greater than they are. As a coach he didn't impress me at all and the preparation for Ireland games was a haphazard joke," Keane said. "I found it impossible to relate to him as a man or a coach he was a bully who neither frightened me nor impressed me."

Keane also volleyed on the most cherished English domestic cup competition the FA Cup as having lost its relevance for him.

"The Wembley myth, the folklore attached to the walk out of the tunnel, the red carpet, meeting the big shots, going up to the Royal Box to receive your medal, a pat on the back from the great and good all of it was b******s. Of course you couldn't say that," Keane said, and also confesses that when Manchester United decided against defending the trophy in favour of a tournament in Brazil, he was delighted.

"We all put on our sick-as-a-parrot faces, expressing shock and regret but, privately, I didn't care. Brazil in January sounded great."

Only the big competitions hold any relevance for Keane and he labelled the FA Cup just an "afterthought".

"There's no doubt in an era when the Premiership and Champions Cup have become the competitions to win, the FA Cup is nothing more than a consolation prize, an afterthought."

Keane has also claimed he understood why Eric Cantona performed his infamous kung-fu kick, and that he might have done the same.

"The incident between Eric Cantona and a fan at Selhurst Park in 1995 was serious for the club. But I'll tell you my immediate reaction: so what? Fair play to Eric. I might have done the same myself," Keane said.

The player with the self-confessed short temper revealed the foul and racist remarks that emanate from the stands are sometimes sickening.

"Some of the things you hear from the terraces are really sickening. Racist taunts, chants about players' personal lives, filth that makes you wonder about the people who come to football matches."