Manchester United legend Roy Keane and Arsenal legend Ian Wright were both in agreement over the “easiest position” to play on the pitch.
Roy Keane, who is considered one of the best captains of all time, made a name for himself as a commanding box-to-box midfielder and excelled in the role.
The 52-year-old Irishman was at the heart of the Manchester United midfield at Old Trafford under legendary former manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
Keane was well known for his hardman approach on the pitch and no-nonsense attitude towards other players while he dictated play from United’s midfield.
Ian Wright, on the other hand, enjoyed a prolific playing career at Arsenal during the 1990s and was a formidable forward option for the Gunners.
Despite impressing in their respective roles, Keane and Wright felt the same way about one position, despite the United legend even playing in it at one time.
Keane and Wright agree on easy position
Roy Keane and Ian Wright appeared on the latest episode of the Stick to Football show alongside Manchester United legend Gary Neville and Jill Scott.
Speaking on The Overlap show, Roy Keane recalled his time at Old Trafford and how he played at both centre-half and at right-back early in his spell at United.
The Irish hardman insisted that playing as a full-back is the “easiest” role, adding that a player’s main focus in that position is dealing with what is in front of them.
“But anyway, right-back, the easiest position,” Keane said.
“It’s right in front of you, deal with the winger. I found it easy. Do you [Gary Neville] remember?”
Wright echoed Keane’s sentiments and added that “everything” a full-back needs to see is right in front of them.
“I think right-back’s the easiest. You can see everything. You can get up there,” he said.
Neville responds to Keane and Wright’s right-back claim
Gary Neville spent his entire playing career at Manchester United and was the leading right-back under former Red Devils boss Ferguson.
The 49-year-old Sky Sports pundit, who also played as a full-back for England, insisted that Keane and Wright’s claim over the right-back role was “subjective.”
Responding to Keane and Wright, Neville said: “I think that’s, to be fair, subjective.
“I think because if you’re playing against, let’s say you’re playing against… you play against a wide player, you’re playing against a wide player that’s quick or got some skill, right-back’s not easy.
“Like, if you’re playing in midfield against [John] Ebbrell and [Joe] Parkinson at Everton and they can’t pass the ball and they just basically…”
Keane interjected in Neville’s defence of the right-back role and told the United legend that he couldn’t play in midfield like he did, but he could play as a defender.
Keane told Neville: “Put it this way, I went to right-back, right?
“Listen, I did a decent job for the team, right? I know we were strong. You couldn’t go into midfield and do what I was doing.”
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