Steve McClaren highlights “nightmare” trait shared by Fernandes and Roy Keane
Steve McClaren highlights “nightmare” trait shared by Fernandes and Roy Keane Former Manchester United coach Steve McClaren has insisted that Roy Keane and Bruno Fernandes share a “nightmare” quality. Keane and Fernandes similarity McClaren worked as an assistant to the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson and later Erik ten Hag. Under Sir Alex, he helped guide United through one of the club’s most successful eras.
During Ten Hag’s tenure, United won the Carabao Cup and FA Cup. McClaren would go on to depart the club for the second time in July 2024 amidst a coaching reshuffle initiated by Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS. The 64-year-old was fortunate enough to coach two of the club’s greatest captains — Keane and the current armband holder, Fernandes.
Keane’s iconic standing at United needs no introduction, but Fernandes’ brilliance is forged from something else entirely — shining brightly through United’s most challenging chapter. So far this season, Fernandes has netted eight goals and contributed an additional 19 assists. He is just two assists shy of breaking the Premier League record (20), which is jointly held by Kevin De Bruyne and Thierry Henry.
The Portugal international is a strong candidate to win the Premier League Player of the Year award. Keane hasn’t always been Fernandes’ biggest fan, occasionally criticising what he perceives as petulance on the pitch. But according to McClaren, the two may have far more in common than Keane would care to admit.
Common trait Speaking to The Athletic , McClaren said, “We had one spell when we said to Roy, ‘You’ve got to calm down a bit’. Because it was beginning to be a problem. Through the trouble he got into, he used to miss five or six games a season.