'Roy Keane and Micah Richards' Love/Hate Relationship Is The Best Thing About Football Punditry

News 9:17 AM

Football fans are becoming hooked on the epic bromance between Micah Richards and Roy Keane, as the young pundit triggers the fiery Man United legend.

The Keane-Richards duo has basically replaced Game of Thrones as must-watch TV, only with less bloodshed and death (for now).

"The best TV right now anywhere in the world is Roy Keane's face every time Micah Richards speaks," said one supporter on Twitter. Others have called for the pair to become the stars of a new Lethal Weapon (though, please: nobody give Keano a loaded pistol).

What's gripping is that it's hard to tell whether Keane secretly enjoys banter with the fearless Richards. Or whether Keane is seconds away from boiling over and Micah learning why Sir Alex Ferguson once said of his midfield enforcer: "The hardest part of Roy's body is his tongue."

Their first TV clash actually ended with Richards seeming to earn Keane's respect. After the 32-year-old said he "burst onto the scene" during his playing days, a dead-eyed Keane called him out for his choice of words, claiming that defenders rarely ever burst onto the scene.

"Well, hold on!" the ex-Man City player replied, standing his ground. "I played for England at 18; youngest ever defender to play for England. I would say that's bursting onto the scene."

Cue laughter around the Sky Sports studio and possibly Micah 1-0 Roy. But in the time since, Richards has elevated his Keane-baiting to world-class levels.

He couldn't contain his mirth as Keane watched one of Richards' former teams, Aston Villa, wildly celebrate Premier League survival.

"Imagine if they ever win anything," intoned a stone-faced Keane, while Richards responded by raising his arms in wonder and pointing out: "They've just stayed in the Premier League!"

Richards clearly knows that he's struck gold here, even attempting to add a behind-the-scenes Keane to his Instagram story. Which went down about as well as you'd expect.

"Did you drive down yourself?" asks a glasses-wearing Roy by way of welcome, before noticing Richards is filming him and his whole mood visibly changing.

"Roy! This is a new day mate, this is social media, this is what the people want to see," protests Micah. But Keane had shut up shop.

Richards, however, is clearly not as intimidated as some of Keane's former teammates. Far from keeping his distance, he instead indulged in a hat-trick of Keane-provoking this weekend.

First he risked Roy's wrath by filming him tending to his make-up during Sky's coverage of Man City's draw with Liverpool. "What have you got in your hand Roy?!" Richards asks with a trademark laugh.

"I wish I knew," says Keane, suppressing a grimace. Richards adds: "Look at the disgust in his face!" While Keane rubs something (probably gravel) into his forehead.

But the Man United legend got revenge on the young pup when he picked out a line from Phil Foden's pre-match interview, broadcast live on Sky.

The 20-year-old midfielder had said about his memories growing up as a City fan: "I liked Micah. He was one of my idols... He was one of the best right-back in the world at the time."

Keane leapt on that, responding: "He's a talented kid... His interview, he came across really well. His stuff about Micah, he probably needs to be drug tested for that."

Cue loud guffaws from the man in the socially distanced seat alongside Keane.

The pair also clashed over whether Sergio Aguero was overweight and Kyle Walker's form. But Richards got the last laugh (when doesn't he?) when he quizzed Keane with an excellent question: whether he'd rather have been managed by Pep Guardiola or Jurgen Klopp during his own playing career.

"I probably wouldn't want to play for any of them, because that means I'd have to play for Liverpool or Man City, which wouldn't really suit me," shot back the former United skipper. Well aware, of course, that his fellow pundits were Richards (City) and Jamie Carragher (Liverpool).

Unlike most normal humans in football, Richards clearly isn't intimidated by Keane and the teasing of his senior pro is only growing. Next he'll be turning up to the Sky studios in full Alf-Inge Haaland replica kit and asking Roy to sign his Mick McCarthy poster.

But is Keane secretly loving the banter with his upstart colleague? Or is he one Super Sunday away from running at Richards in a fury, eyes beady, Valyrian steel sword in his hand?

Let us know which way you think it will go in the comments.

Featured image credit: Sky Sports



source https://www.sportbible.com/football/football-news-roy-keane-and-micah-richards-lovehate-dynamic-is-best-thing-on-tv-20201109

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