Is there any evidence of this?
His tackle on Haaland senior was cowardly and plain nasty. His mouthing at Viera was with loads of bodies to seperate them.
Fowler squared up to him and he didn’t show much…flat track bully who has become a fucking parody with the stupid banter with Richards…
My recollection of Keane is quite different especially his confrontations with Viera and specifically the one with Neville. Mad nutter, never thought he was a fake hard man at all.
I think Keane was a genuine hard man for his time moreso than Ince and batty for example. I agree though that the hardmen of earlier generations such as Souness would have had him for breakfast.
I am fine with “strongmen” going out of the game. I dont mind someone being hard but fair like Milly but thugs like Keane(despite him being a very talented hardworking footballer otherwise) have no place in the game.