Haaland: 'Keane apology would have surprised me'

Former Manchester City defender Alf-Inge Haaland admits he does not expect Roy Keane to apologise for the tackle which ruined his career.

Haaland was injured when caught on the left knee in a tackle from Manchester United midfielder Keane in a derby in April 2001.

Keane later admitted in his autobiography that he intended to hurt the Norwegian in the tackle, comments for which he was fined £150,000 and banned for five games last year.

Haaland, who retired due to problems with his right knee last summer, told BBC Radio 5 Live: “It’s behind me now. An apology from Roy Keane or the club would be nice but I don’t expect that from them.

“Probably most clubs would have left it on the field but that is not the case with this (because of the book).

“But it is finished and I can’t do anything about it now. It is very clear in my mind and it is obviously not a nice memory, especially after seeing how it was described in the book.

“He bore all these grudges against me for some reason. It was all a bit strange, the whole thing.”

Keane claimed Haaland, then at Leeds, taunted him when he was injured during a game between the teams at Elland Road in 1997 and that his actions were intended to get revenge.

Haaland added: “He’s been a really good player and it’s not hard for me to accept that but I think a player needs more than that – character – and I think maybe he lacks a bit there.

“I haven’t talked much about it. It was a long time ago and I want to look forward but sometimes it is good to talk about it.”