SOCCER:IN COMMENTS unlikely to appeal to Alex Ferguson, Roy Keane yesterday labelled some of his fellow Premier League managers "hypocrites" over their attitude to players' respect for referees. And while Keane did not cite Ferguson by name, the Sunderland manager did refer to a manager who was "sent off at Bolton" this season for using foul and abusive language.
Ferguson was dismissed at half-time during Manchester United's 1-0 defeat at Bolton in November and called referee Mark Clattenburg's handling of the first half "a shambles".
Having mentioned the hypocrisy of other managers, Keane was asked about Ferguson's comments after United's recent FA Cup defeat by Portsmouth, when Ferguson laid responsibility at the door of referee Martin Atkinson for dismissing substitute goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak.
"It surprised me, and he wasn't the only one," Keane said of Ferguson blaming Atkinson. "Carlos Queiroz, I think Ronaldo came out. Man United always taught me to be gracious losers - they weren't that day.
"I don't think any manager should have any more power than anybody else. You're on about the Portsmouth game - United had about 20 chances to score and didn't take them."
Pressed as to whether Ferguson had displayed hypocrisy in then criticising Ashley Cole for his behaviour for Chelsea against Tottenham, Keane retorted: "Was he (Ferguson) sent off against Bolton this year? At Bolton? At half-time? I don't know, you tell me.
"We're all bad losers. But if we're . . . saying, 'Let's respect officials and other managers, and make sure the players do', and you're not doing it, how can you expect the players to do it?
"It'd be slightly unfair on United to say they've got added responsibility because of the size of the club; we all have responsibility. We have to be careful, but I think the players aren't that bad.
"There's been some (fouls) highlighted and shown four-million times on Sky . . . and then 10 ex-players come on and say it's 'out of order' and these ex-players have done things 100 times worse.
"That's why I'm on about the hypocrites, coming out and getting offered a grand to do a piece saying 'this player's a disgrace'. Half of these players, their marriage is over because they cheated on their wives and yet they're slagging players off. Idiots, absolute idiots."
Keane also referred to one Premier League club he thinks systematically abuse referees.
"There's one or two clubs where their staff are a disgrace, an absolute disgrace to football. Their managers are worse because they sit by and let it happen - 'It's nothing to do with me'. There's one club in particular, a disgrace, an absolute disgrace."
Was he referring to Reading?
"I didn't say that."
Keane's apparent ire with Ferguson may stem from an interview last weekend when the United manager described the famous Andy D'Urso incident as a "pivotal moment" in United's disciplinary approach. Ferguson recalled how "I went off my head" with his captain Keane and the other United players, and took obvious pride in it not happening since.
Keane is aware D'Urso follows him forever and made the point of saying yesterday he apologised to the referee after the game. Keane also joked that the infamous photograph of himself haranguing D'Urso, veins pumping, had been "superimposed".
He added that the memory of that image was part of a "conscious effort" to show restraint on the touchline as a manager.
"If you rant and rave on the sideline it doesn't reflect well on the club and the team. That's my personal opinion. It doesn't mean to say I don't appeal decisions, but I've not sworn or abused any officials since I got the job. I've only had the job two minutes - give it another 10 years and maybe that will change - but that's something I don't want to do.
"As a player I was in the middle of the park and I tried to leave my mark. The D'Urso one was a major penalty call I felt he got wrong. If he hadn't kept running we would not have kept chasing him. I met him afterwards and apologised to him, I apologised to the man."
