Roy Keane has responded when asked about which of his former teammates could have done more in football and he named a former Manchester United colleague.
Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane was an iconic player back in the 1990s and early 2000s and the Irishman was key as the Red Devils won their first Champions League trophy in over 30 years back in 1999.
During the club’s decade of domination in the 1990s, Keane was a key part of this and had some superb teammates playing alongside him.
When Keane joined the club from Nottingham Forest in 1993, the Irishman came into a dressing room full of leaders and winners. Despite this, not everyone kicked on to their true potential.
Keane on underperforming teammate
During the latest episode of the Stick To Football Podcast, the former midfielder was asked which of his former teammates perhaps underachieved.
“Lee Sharpe was quite laid back, but he was a good guy,” Keane said. “Maybe he would be the first to admit that he had little success in his career but could have done more if he tried harder. I think he would be honest enough to say that because he was so laid back and had the manager on his case all the time.
“But then he went up to Leeds and got a bad injury, but I think overall, I think Sharpie would admit that he could have done more in his career, but he didn’t have that real hunger and desire to maintain a high standard over a long period of time.”
The pair played together for the Red Devils between 1993 and 1996 with Lee Sharpe’s most memorable moment arguably being the fantastic goal he scored against Barcelona in the European Cup back in the 1994/95 season.
Why did Sharpe struggle
Sharpe received his first England call-up at the age of just 19 and Gary Neville even labelled him the ‘poster boy’ at the club on the Stick To Football podcast but his injury problems disrupted him.
It didn’t help the winger’s case that there was a young Welshman by the name of Ryan Giggs vying for the same spot when he was beginning to break through for the Red Devils.
Sharpe won multiple league titles but there may well always be that question of what if with the Englishman but he will always be a cult hero for that backheel goal against the Spanish giants.
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