The manager keeps changing.
The system keeps changing.
The promises keep changing.
But according to Roy Keane, the problems at Manchester United have stayed exactly the same — and he says it’s finally time fans stop pointing fingers at the dugout and start looking on the pitch.
Speaking after another frustrating United performance, the former captain delivered one of his most brutal verdicts yet, making it clear that this crisis goes far deeper than tactics, formations, or touchline instructions.
“This is no longer about the manager,” Keane snapped.
“You can bring in anyone you want — nothing will change if certain players are still there.”
That single statement has reignited a firestorm around Old Trafford.
“I’VE SEEN THIS MOVIE BEFORE”
Keane’s frustration wasn’t new — but this time, it felt final.
He pointed out that United have now gone through multiple managers, all with different philosophies, personalities, and approaches. Yet the same issues keep resurfacing: slow build-up, lack of intensity, soft moments, and a complete inability to control games when pressure rises.
“Different managers, same excuses,” Keane continued.
“At some point, you have to stop protecting players who keep letting this club down.”
According to Keane, the cycle is painfully predictable. A new manager arrives. Players talk about fresh starts. Results briefly improve. Then the old habits return — jogging instead of pressing, sideways passes instead of risk, and heads dropping the moment things get tough.
THE THREE PLAYERS KEANE SAYS ARE HOLDING UNITED BACK
While Keane stopped short of launching into a full squad-wide rant, he made it clear that three specific players embody everything that is wrong with United’s mentality right now.
He described them as players who:
- Slow the tempo when United need urgency
- Kill momentum just as the team begins to build pressure
- Hide when leadership is required
- Play safe football at a club that demands courage
“These lads look comfortable losing,” Keane said bluntly.
“And that’s the biggest crime you can commit at Manchester United.”
Though he didn’t scream their names in classic Keane fashion, sources and pundits close to the discussion believe he was clearly referencing senior, established players — not youngsters, not fringe squad members, but players who start regularly and are supposed to set standards.
“NO MANAGER CAN FIX THIS”
Perhaps the most damning part of Keane’s analysis was his warning to the board.
“If you think changing the manager again will fix this, you’re deluding yourselves,” he said.
“These players will do the same thing to the next manager. And the next one after that.”
Keane argued that managers are being set up to fail by a core group of players who have survived every rebuild, every reset, and every so-called “new era.”
According to him, those players have learned how to:
- Outlast managers
- Avoid accountability
- Shift blame when results dip
“That’s not a rebuild,” Keane added.
“That’s a comfort zone.”
FANS TURN ON THE SQUAD
United supporters didn’t need much encouragement.
Within minutes of Keane’s comments, social media was flooded with agreement. Many fans echoed the same sentiment: that too many players have been allowed to stay far too long without consequences.
One fan wrote:
“We’ve sacked managers for less. These players keep surviving.”
Another said:
“Keane is saying what everyone’s afraid to admit.”
The debate quickly shifted from who should manage United to who should be sold.
A CLEAR-OUT OR ANOTHER FALSE DAWN?
Keane’s solution was simple — and ruthless.
“If you’re serious about fixing this club, you move them on,” he said.
“Even if it hurts. Even if it’s unpopular.”
He insisted that reputations, transfer fees, and shirt sales should not matter if players are no longer driving standards forward.
In his view, keeping underperforming senior players sends the wrong message to:
- Young players trying to break through
- New signings trying to adapt
- Fans demanding accountability
“You can’t build hunger with players who’ve gone stale,” Keane warned.
THE WARNING UNITED CAN’T IGNORE
This wasn’t just another angry rant. It felt like a line in the sand.
Keane wasn’t defending managers.
He wasn’t attacking tactics.
He wasn’t calling for patience.
He was demanding change at the core.
And his final words carried a chilling warning for whoever is in charge next:
“If those players are still there next season, don’t expect different results. Expect the same failure.”
😡🔥 IS IT TIME FOR A MAJOR CLEAR-OUT AT OLD TRAFFORD?
