Roy Keane has come under fire after a former Manchester United staffer accused him of bullying in retaliation for the Irishman’s comments.
Roy Keane reveals his opinion for the first time on an episode of Overlap (Image: Stick to Football)
Roy Keane has been branded a ‘bully’ by Manchester United’s former physiotherapist after the Irishman claimed he was a ‘dressing room scavenger’.
The former Red Devils captain attacked some of the club’s staff, accusing them of trying to “run the show”. But Rod Thornley, who spent 19 years at United under Sir Alex Ferguson, suggested the Irishman’s abuse was a personal attack aimed at him after a falling out.
Keane remains famous for his old-fashioned values and was known for maintaining high standards throughout his time as Manchester captain. He also didn’t shy away from voicing his opinion if he felt it was in the best interest of the team.
But he appears to have had little time to engage with the physiotherapists and masseuses, claiming “they can get a bit cocky” and accusing them of trying to buy players’ cars cheaply and “wearing headphones as if they were players”.
Thornley, who left United in 2019, hit back on the Busby Way podcast: “I witnessed him (Keene) bullying people many times.
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“He kept talking about masseuses and buying players’ cars. He sold his car to a manager at Man United. So I can’t buy a car from a player, but I can sell it to a member of the staff.”
“Everything he said was just abuse and he was just trying to hurt me. After that, I suffered a lot of abuse online and it affected me mentally. It was really bad. It’s typical of him to bully someone. Roy Keane does that a lot.”
Mr Thornley also accused Mr Keene of being a “hypocrite” for allowing his daughter Cara to appear on Overlap to promote his breakfast cereal brand.
Rod Thornley ultimately left the club in 2019 (Image: Getty)
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In June 2024, Keene aired his dissatisfaction with the masseuses, saying: “What annoyed me were the lads doing the massages. They were a bit cocky. Once they got established in the club they thought they were running the show, the music was playing, the team had won something and all the masseuses were supposed to be on the pitch.”
“We were enjoying a night out and a free bar, and then they came in with all their mates. Then they came off the bus with headphones on as if they were players. Does anyone sell their car?” – They would try to buy players’ cars cheaply.
“They go around and get players’ boots. They end up with a lot of boots and players’ trainers. There are scavengers in the locker room.”
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