roy keane vs patrick vieira best of enemies documentary

Yet, unlike in boxing, when we’re subsequently expected to wait 24 hours for the showdown, we were merely a brief ad-break away from the action. Like boxers whispering belligerent sweet-nothings into each other’s ears at a PPV weigh-in, Sky couldn’t have scripted it any better. Highbury’s highly-publicised tunnel episode was high on the agenda At the time, the red mist descending on Roy set all red-blooded Reds into overdrive. To the backdrop of further upbeat and bellicose beats, befitting of the battles contested between this pair of midfield enforcers, the men reminisced zealously about the times when MUFC vs AFC was a very tasty encounter indeed. Rather appropriately, Keane’s intensity constantly reminded that the man before us was ‘Still Roy’ “representing for the midfielders all across the world.” Dre, someone who Roy would no doubt inform hasn’t earned the requisite qualifications to call himself a doctor, opened the second segment of the documentary. The music, conversely, was more diligently selected by ITV4’s resident DJ Dr. The setting was curious inside a warehouse, when perhaps a stadium tunnel, scene of their infamous melee, would have proven more suitably evocative. Roy’s aversion to plaudits aside, the broadcasters had unintentionally presented the starkest of contracts between the Keane vs Dixon on-camera “rivalry” and the Keane vs Vieira on-pitch rivalry, though the segue from ITV into ITV4 was sufficiently subtle. Not without concern that he’d reply with “Well, what do you think I was aiming to be? The fcuk1n worst?!” It’d certainly render me reticent to label Roy the best combative central midfielder of his generation. Roy somehow managed to take offense at being lavished with praise. Prime examples abound, most glaringly Roy’s needless polemic against Sir Alex’s shining appraisal of his ’99 CL semi-final heroics. As with all the great mavericks, it wouldn’t become Roy to adhere to societal norms. Akin to Le Roi citing the fiasco at Selhurst Park as his “best moment,” Roy revels in subverting expectations. In the mini-doc, this was perfectly evidenced on a few separate occasions.

It’s the sort of candor that’s become synonymous with the man a brand of deliberately outspoken contrariness that has led some notable Reds (namely Pete Boyle and Andy Mitten) to liken Roy to Mancunian musician Morrissey. Up front was another contentious area with so many great strikers to choose from, but eventually the pair settled on Thierry Henry and Eric Cantona meaning there was no place for the likes of Dennis Bergkamp or Ruud van Nistelrooy.The finest sentence of Roy Keane’s 2002 Autobiography reads “I like dogs, because unlike humans, they don’t talk shite.” As a human myself, who also happens to be a dog owner, I can see where he’s coming from. Cristiano Ronaldo was an obvious choice but Vieira insisted Robert Pires was picked over Ryan Giggs and David Beckham. Unsurprisingly, both men selected themselves in the centre of midfield which meant no place for the likes of Paul Scholes or Emmanuel Petit. Eventually BOTH players were selected as neither Vieira nor Keane would back down. Vieira was adamant Lauren should be selected ahead of the likes of Paul Parker and Gary Neville at right-back but the duo couldn’t be separated when it came to deciding between Ashley Cole and Denis Irwin for the left-back slot. Peter Schmeichel narrowly got the nod over David Seaman in goal while Tony Adams and Jaap Stam were chosen as the two centre-halves, but it’s at full-back where the pair really clashed. The former Arsenal and Man Utd captains were fierce enemies on the pitch between 19 but they came together as part of a TV documentary called ‘ Keane and Vieira – Best of Enemies‘, which airs on ITV4 tonight at 10pm, to create their fantasy dream team made up of players from the two clubs. As two of the very best midfielders to have ever graced the Premier League, you’d think Patrick Vieira and Roy Keane would know a thing or two, but do you agree with their combined Arsenal and Manchester United all-star team?

Roy keane vs patrick vieira best of enemies documentary