Roy Keane has never been one to hold back from sharing his opinion. This was no different when the Manchester United icon named a Red Devils teammate he felt was ‘overrated’ while simultaneously selecting the same man in his all-time United XI.
The Irish midfielder – known as one of the hardest players in Premier League history – lifted seven league trophies in 12 years at Old Trafford. While things on the pitch were often going brilliantly, they weren’t always as harmonious behind the scenes.
This was made evident when it was revealed that Keane and one of his ex-United colleagues, Peter Schmeichel, came to blows in a hotel after built-up frustrations between the pair. Writing in his autobiography about the incident (per Mail Sport), the midfielder stated:
“We said a few words to one another, a bit of banter, a bit of stick. I went up to Nicky’s room for some room service, had a sandwich, got up to go… Peter was waiting for me, outside the room.
“He said; ‘I’ve had enough of you. It’s time we sorted this out.’ So I said, ‘Okay’. And we had a fight. It felt like 10 minutes. There was a lot of noise. Peter’s a big lad.”
Keane Brands Peter Schmeichel ‘Overrated’
After the scuffle – which originated from a row over the captaincy at Old Trafford – the pair clearly never became best friends and Keane even went as far as to brand his former teammate ‘overrated’. In an interview with Gary Neville on The Overlap YouTube channel, Keane was asked about the best goalkeeper he played alongside. He replied: “I suppose I’d have to say Peter but I still feel he was overrated. He was.”
Neville made sure to press his ex-skipper to expand on his point. Keane explained: “I just don’t think he was as good as everyone made out. But he was very good.” Watch the video below (1:49 onwards):
When tasked with naming his all-time Manchester United XI from the Premier League era, the legendary midfielder included Schmeichel before adding: “Me and Peter weren’t best of mates – actually far from it – but the most important thing is that I had huge respect for him and he produced in big moments and helped us get over the line in big matches. Peter would produce and help us win trophies.”
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The pair had an extremely successful time together with the English giants, lifting all trophies on offer. They both played big parts in the famous 1999 treble-winning season. While the duo didn’t necessarily get along away from the pitch, they were able to remain professional on it to achieve consistent glory.
Statistics in this article are courtesy of Transfermarkt. Correct as of 12-10-25.
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