Keane out of town but not out of the news

While Roy Keane spent yesterday in Glasgow taking in the Old Firm derby at Ibrox, the world he left behind in Manchester was buzzing with stories and rumours about the Irish captain of Manchester United. Two tabloid newspapers even raised questions about Keane's mental state and there are sure to be a rash of stories about him joining Celtic simply because he attended yesterday's match.

In the past few weeks Keane has been an outspoken critic of United's current playing staff, calling them "average" and "not good enough" and his remarks, unsurprisingly, have not gone down too well with some of his team-mates at Old Trafford.

In his most open interview yet, with Four Four Two magazine, Keane described some of those he plays with in red as having become "complacent" and it seems that David Beckham has interpreted himself as being one of those referred to by Keane.

"There are some players in this team who have not done as well as they can this season," said Beckham, adding in reference to Keane: "but you should always stick together as a team. People have said there should be changes but we have won seven championships in nine years and that's not the sign of an average team. It's disappointing when you don't do well in the European Cup but this is a great team.

"It's the manager who makes the decisions. If he thinks the team needs strengthening then it's up to him what happens. It's going to be special next year for the manager, the team and the fans."

Beckham's retort was followed by one from Manchester City's Alf Inge Haaland, the victim of Keane's vicious tackle at Old Trafford nine days ago. Haaland said that Keane had refused to make eye contact with him in the tunnel before last Saturday's derby.

"I don't think Roy Keane is in mental balance," Haaland said. "I don't think he is mentally right. When we lined up in the tunnel his eyes were all over the place. He did not have the nerve to look at me."

Haaland refused to divulge what Keane had shouted at him as Haaland lay on the turf at Old Trafford, saying: "Telling that would be throwing petrol on a burning fire, but he did not wish me well."

Yesterday's Sunday Express also questioned Keane's present emotional state and repeated an allegation made earlier in the season that Keane is receiving counselling for depression. Manchester United sought to distance themselves from the allegation, though there was no outright denial.

United's chief executive Peter Kenyon said: "This is a story that's been around a long time. It's an old story and we have no comment on it. We think it's a story with no foundation."