Ryan Giggs insists 'brilliant' Roy Keane was underrated

May 18, 2020
Posted by Steven Tan | Source from Metro
Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs says it’s often forgotten what a ‘brilliant player’ Roy Keane was because of the Irishman’s image as a leader. 
 
The Red Devils broke the British transfer record to sign Keane in a £3.75m deal from Nottingham Forest in 1993 and he was seen as a replacement for Bryan Robson due to his box-to-box play. 
 
Keane was made club captain after Eric Cantona’s departure in 1997 and though he’s recognised as a Manchester United and Premier League legend, much of the references to Keane’s career are the various run-ins he had with team-mates and managers. 
 
But Giggs believes the talk about Keane as a ‘leader’ can often undermine the ability he had as a player, insisting that the Irishman ‘controlled’ games from midfield.
 
‘I think we all talk about what a captain and leader he was but he was a brilliant player,’ Giggs told Sky Sports. 
 
‘He very rarely gave the ball away. He changed his game from being an attacking midfielder to being that one that sat a bit more but he could control a game, control the tempo of the game as well. 
 
‘He was always in a covering position, he would be all over the pitch. As you know and as everyone knows that when someone needed telling he would tell them but that would motivate you as a player. 
 
‘As you see here, he was always in the right position, He had the athleticism but he didn’t always need it because his positioning was so good. He was a brilliant player as well as a top leader and a great captain.’
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