Roy Keane has been handed the opportunity to smooth his fractious relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson by attending the unveiling of a statue in honour of the Manchester United manager at Old Trafford on Friday.
United have invited all of Ferguson’s captains during his 26 year reign at Old Trafford, plus numerous influential players including the likes of David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo and Eric Cantona, to the ceremony on Friday afternoon.
But while Beckham and Ronaldo have informed United that they are unable to attend due to club commitments with LA Galaxy and Real Madrid respectively, Keane’s intentions remain unclear, with the club expected to reveal a confirmed list of attendees today.
Keane, who captained United between 1997 and his acrimonious departure in 2005 following critical comments made on the club’s television station, MUTV, admitted earlier this year that he could not foresee a time when his relationship with Ferguson, damaged by a series of outspoken comments between the two men, would be repaired.
“I wouldn’t have thought so, no.” Keane said at the time “He’s a busy man and I’m fairly busy.
“The worst thing is that when you have been associated with a club you still have loyalty towards it no matter what way I finished and no matter what my relationship with the manager might be.”
Keane declined an invitation to attend a dinner held in Ferguson’s honour last season, claiming, ‘I couldn’t have gone and sat there like everything was great.’
Sources close to the Irishman were unable to shed light on his plans for the statue unveiling and whether he had actually received an invitation from the club, but senior figures at United have insisted it would be ‘inconceivable’ that Keane had not been asked to attend.
Ruud van Nistelrooy, whose relationship with Ferguson also soured prior to his sale to Real Madrid in August 2005, is expected to be present at tomorrow’s ceremony.
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