FORMER Manchester United skipper Roy Keane has announced his retirement from football because of injury.
In a statement, the Celtic midfielder player said he was quitting following medical advice.
The 34-year-old, who joined the SPL side after his shock November departure from United, confirmed the news on the Celtic website, www.celticfc.net, saying: éHaving received medical advice from my surgeon and the Celtic FC doctor, I feel my only option is to retire.
éI would like to send the manager, the staff, players and supporters my very best wishes for the future.é
Keaneés injury problems date back to September 1997 when he suffered a knee injury while trying to foul Leeds Unitedés Alfie Haaland at Elland Road and missed the rest of the season with cruciate ligament damage.
Operation
In September 2002 Sir Alex Ferguson announced Keane will be out for three months after undergoing a hip operation.
In July 2005 Keane was left out of Unitedés squad for tour of Far East due to hamstring injury and the following month Ferguson admits he had a row with Keane at Unitedés pre-season training camp in Portugal in July.
Keane announced his international retirement in October 2005 and on November 1 his blunt assessment of the 4-1 Premiership humiliation at Middlesbrough was pulled off the MUTV schedules. Seventeen days later he left United by mutual consent and on December 15 he signed for Celtic in an 18-month deal.
Celtic manager Gordon Strachan said: éRoy Keane is one of the greatest ever players to grace the game of football. It was fantastic we were able to bring him to Celtic and it has been a privilege to work with him.
Contribution
éEven in his short time with the club, Roy made a great contribution and played an important part in bringing success to the club last season.
éWe were delighted to make Royés dream come true when we signed him for Celtic and we were happy when he made our dream come true, by helping us to win the title.
éWhile we would have very much liked Roy to continue for the remainder of his contract, everyone at the club fully understands and respects the decision which he has made.
éRoyés retirement will be a loss to Celtic and, of course, a loss to football in general. We would all like to wish Roy and his family all the best for the future. Roy will always be welcome at Celtic Park.
éObviously, we will now be making sure we strengthen our midfield in time for the season ahead.é
Where does Keane rank among the United greats? Have your say.
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Roy, you have been one of the best players any team can have.
It has been a privilege and an honour to have seen you play and to have had you on our side.
What you have helped us achieve , we will never forget, just like we will never forget you.
Have a very happy future Keano and thks a million for everything.
Let's have him back at United as part of the coaching set-up.
Keane was a complete nutcase. The only thing I admired about him was when he called your fans ''prawn sandwich eaters''
If England had a Roy Keane, they would win the World Cup. He is everything Becks is not, a true United legend.
Truly up there with other Utd legends such as Best, Robbo and Cantona. Great player to have in your side, inspirational and has been very hard to replace. Roy, come back on the coaching staff ASAP!
Alias Smith over the moon, you are quite right lets get him back. Not on the coachong staff but to replace 'past his sell by date' Fergie
Absolutely tireless.Gave everything he had for UNITED.Played against great players like Zidane,Viera,Gerrard and never came second to them.In his prime he was terrific in every match.The abilty to hold his form for long spells was pure quality.Possibly the best team player ever.Most other greats are rememberd for solo performances.
Keane retires? So what? Who honestly cares? He was just an average footballer with a shocking temper and if he didn't get his own way would react like a baby throwing his toys out of the pram. Good riddance - football will be a better place without him.
How typical that Roy has to try and overshadow another world cup with this announcement.
Good ridance, who cares? Come on! Ok, he had a vicious streak but he was a winner and you have to have that at OT for sure. Ask any other club fans if they would have had him in their side..answer = 100% yes....!!
LEGEND! Get him back at OT asap.
For me he was the greatest player ever to play for man u. The complete midfielder who had everything, when he came up against world class midfielders when was he ever second best very rarely is the answer. he will never be replaced simply because there will be no one like him.
See the muppets are on the site. Unfortunately their legends were in the 60's and 70's, so they do not know what one is today. For me a 110% player, who I will always remeber for his performance against Juve in Turin. He was booked and going to miss the final, BUT he got stuck in and put in a captains performance. If we are to lose our reserve team coach, I can think of no one better to come back and teach our youngsters. Roy Keane LEGEND.
Ian, Manchester - how did stumble across a football website as you obviously haven't got a clue about the game. What a loser you are!!!
Keane is in the top 3 players to grace the Premiership.
Im in full agreement with Alias Smith. With Keanes professional attitude and will to win, he has the making of a manager in the SAF mold one day.
Ian, Manchester, Keano was a better player than ANYONE who has ever pulled on that bitter blue shirt that I'm guessing you follow? Jealousy is such an unattractice trait son.......
ian i take it u r a bitter blue
LEGEND!
Thanks Keano....for every moment of inspiration ,joy and delight that you gave us RED DEVIL fans .....I still remember the CL semi-final against JUVENTUS .....only u can play in that fashion and with that commitment ,even though u knew that even if u won it u were not going to be a part of the final...That game will remain etched in my memory forever ........BEST of luck for the future to you and your family ...take some holiday and Please comeback to MU coaching setup . I hear the Reserves team coach is gonna go ...Roy Keane would be a gr8 replacement . He would help in instilling a sense of pride and commitment in the youngsters . That would help us counter Chelsea ....If there is one place where they cant beat us for another 55 yrs and more is our Youth Football setup ....Homegrown talent is the answer to Roman empire ...And anyways they are not gonna last for long ...( Real Madrid revisited ) ...Keano GOD BLESS U ........
OK he was a great footballer (although vastly overrated) but he should have been locked up for what he did to Haaland.
Its not a debate wether or not hes a legend, legends are made not elected. Like Ole and Cantona, Keaneo is definately one of our modern day legends of Old Trafford and stands up against the very best in the game.
The word ledgend is used far too frequently these but if ever somebody deserved the title its Keane. How we could use his leadership qualities now. Definitely should be offered a coaching position at OT. Then we'll see if SAF really has buried the hatchet.
I'll never forget Turin.
Ian in Manchester, your ignorance is incredible. You obviously know nothing about football(you must be a blue). Keane is the best heartbeat of a team I have ever seen. The reason England will not win the World Cup is because they lack that kind of player, they just have an abundance of pretty boys like Becks.
David Kelly, Dublin - Take off the red/green tinted specs, England have got a player who is already better than Keane could ever dream of, his name is Steven Gerrard, you might have heard of him. You bitter rags make me laugh with your blinkered view of football, now totter off and make yourself another prawn sandwich