Keane sacked after rows with Ferguson, British media say

Manchester United captain Roy Keane was sacked by Alex Ferguson after a series of rows convinced the club's manager that the Irish midfielder was a liability to England's most famous club, British media reported yesterday.

United shocked English soccer by announcing on Friday that the volatile Keane was leaving the former champions in mid-season. The club said his departure was by mutual consent.

Reports said, however, that Ferguson had decided Keane must leave after the player's behaviour had repeatedly threatened to undermine the Scottish manager's authority. Keane tore into several team-mates in a television interview on the club's MUTV station, accusing them of lack of effort after a 4-1 defeat by Middlesbrough at the end of October.

The programme was pulled by club officials shortly before it went on air but its contents leaked into the media. The Guardian said Keane had repeated this venomous attack in person to the players before Ferguson invited the United squad into his office to watch the programme.

Ferguson then verbally attacked Keane for bringing the club into disrepute, the Guardian said, and the two men had a stand-up row.

Keane turned his invective on assistant manager Carlos Queiroz, questioning his competence in strong terms in front of the squad.

Newspapers reported that the end of Keane's career at Old Trafford came when he turned up for a reserves match on Thursday to test his fitness.

He was told he was not playing and that he should contact Ferguson. The two met on Friday morning and Ferguson told Keane his services were no longer required.