Roy Keane acknowledges he went too far by ‘mocking’ Manchester United and England defender Harry Maguire on Sky Sports.
Despite Maguire’s absence from England’s Euro 2024 squad being considered a significant setback, it’s easy to overlook that he has frequently faced harsh criticism throughout his career at Old Trafford.
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Keane has regularly criticized Maguire’s performances for the underperforming Red Devils but admits he overstepped by ‘mocking’ the player on Sky Sports after a match.
The former Manchester United captain says he apologized to Maguire for ‘crossing the line’ with his comments as a pundit.
‘I was harsh on Harry Maguire,’ Keane said on the Stick to Football show, brought to you by Sky Bet.
‘You hope to keep it to footballing reasons and obviously we cover a lot of Manchester United matches and he was struggling at the time.
‘But you also think about the mental health of players and I definitely crossed the line with Maguire.
‘I remember one time I kind of mocked him a little bit and that is definitely out or order. I crossed the line and listen, I played the game, I know it’s not easy.
‘But I’m also big enough that I apologised to him. Sometimes we pundits get it wrong too.’
Maguire was initially included in Gareth Southgate’s provisional England squad for the Euros, but an injury prevented him from making the final 26-man roster.
Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace took Maguire’s place and has performed well in Germany, though England’s overall performance has been worrisome.
The Three Lions will play Slovakia for a spot in the quarter-finals, following a victory over Serbia and draws with Denmark and Slovenia during a lackluster group stage.
After being ruled out of the Euros due to injury, Harry Maguire said: ‘I am devastated not to have been selected to play for England at the Euros this summer.
‘Despite my best efforts, I have not been able to overcome an injury to my calf. Maybe I pushed myself too hard, to try and make it. Simply, I am absolutely gutted. For me, representing England is the highest honour.
‘It means everything to me. If I can’t help the team as a player, I will support them as a fan – along with the rest of the country. Go and win it boys.
‘Next, I will return to the supervision of the Manchester United medical team in order to prepare for next season.’
