Roy Keane: How F1 revealed the softer side of Man Utd and Sky Sports hard man
Roy Keane: How F1 revealed the softer side of Man Utd and Sky Sports hard man
Most people see Roy Keane as a football hard man who is now just as abrasive as a TV pundit, but Eddie Jordan has revealed how F1 revealed a much softer side to the Irish legend.
Keane became a Premier League great with Manchester United as they conquered all frontiers under Sir Alex Ferguson, and he has since become must-watch TV whenever he appears on Sky Sports as an analyst.
But away from the bright lights there is a different side to the man from Cork, and Jordan says it shone through when he invited the midfielder as a guest to a French Grand Prix in years gone by.
Roy Keane at the French Grand Prix
Speaking on his ‘Formula For Success’ podcast with David Coulthard, he said: “Roy rang me up and he said 'look, I’d really really like to take Paul McGrath to a Grand Prix, it’s one of his absolute ambitions and he would like to do it' and so I said ‘sure, of course’. And the next race happened to be the French Grand Prix.
“When you see Roy as we always do every other night on the TV, he is himself. But behind that there is a very quiet, refined guy, who is massively passionate, hugely caring. Paul was going through a difficult time in his life.
“They came onto the grid, I had to virtually go and grab them to come to the grid. Most people, they just want grid passes and they’re on the grid and you can’t get them off - this was the opposite.
“He [Roy] was so careful about not to stand in the way, he wanted to know what was happening, when the tyres would happen, when we would take fuel as we did at the time, and various things. He wanted the information but he didn’t want to encroach on anyone. He was an absolute model guest at a Formula 1 [race].”
Keane and Paul McGrath - the caring side of Roy
It was not just Keane’s persona and behaviour that day which impressed Jordan, it was the empathy he showed towards his Republic of Ireland team-mate McGrath, who struggled with mental health issues both during and after his glittering career at the top level.
“But the most important thing, I’m talking about Paul McGrath here, he was such an unbelievable player, his knees were gone and he never trained and that’s what he became famous for,” said Jordan.
“And Roy reached out to him when he had difficulties after he’d stopped playing and he needed a helping hand. And Roy was there. I promise you there’s not many people who have as much capabilities and credibility as Roy Keane, I absolutely adore him.
“I love his interviews by the way, I think he’s as hard as nails, and he played like that. But there’s a real soft spot inside there.”
READ MORE: Wolff makes startling Hamilton Mercedes exit confession
Related
Change your timezone:
Latest News
Horner Red Bull saga in new 'evidence' update as big F1 star left 'very angry' - GPFans F1 Recap
- Yesterday 23:57
Cocky sporting legend CHALLENGES Hamilton in stunning claim
- Yesterday 22:57
Ricciardo boss in 'super disappointing' claim amid RB stars' performance
- Yesterday 21:57
F1 team 'set to announce MEGA signing' in major Red Bull challenge
- Yesterday 20:57
Horner in BRUTAL Wolff swipe amid Verstappen to Mercedes links
- Yesterday 19:57
Hamilton car camera captures Verstappen's TRUE feelings toward F1 rival
- Yesterday 18:57
Related news
Hamilton car camera captures Verstappen's TRUE feelings toward F1 rival
F1 legend OFFENDED by F1's rejection of Andretti's bid
F1 boss holds talks with Prime Minister about potential new race
Big name driver 'very angry internally' after controversial battle
F1 Standings
Drivers
- Oliver Bearman
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2024
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Australia 2024
- MSC Cruises Grand Prix of Japan 2024
- Grand Prix of China 2024
- Miami Grand Prix 2024
- Gran Premio dell'Emilia Romagna 2024
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2024
- Grand Prix du Canada 2024
- Gran Premio de España 2024
- Grand Prix of Austria 2024
- Grand Prix of Great Britain 2024
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2024
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2024
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Italy 2024
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2024
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2024
- Grand Prix of the United States 2024
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2024
- Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024
- Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2024
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media
Innovatieweg 20C7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860