Football pundit Roy Keane has voiced his annoyance with a fan who he felt "pestered" him for a selfie at an airport. Keane described the encounter, which occurred as he was attempting to travel discreetly, during an appearance on the show 'Stick To Football,' presented by Sky Bet.
Gary Neville, co-host of the show, brought up a social media post featuring a selfie with Keane. The post's caption detailed the fan's interaction, stating, "Spotted Keano in Cork Airport, ranted at me for calling him Mr Keane out loud cos 'don’t you think I’m trying to be discreet wearing the f***ing cap' then ended up being two rows in front of me on the flight. If you’re gonna meet Keane, you want the full experience."
When questioned by Neville, Keane responded, "So what you want me to do? The guy was a pest. What's funny about it? What am I supposed to do? Do a dance for people? He's shouting, out loud, my name. You're like 'why are you shouting my name for?' Just come over and be polite. He knew what game he was playing." Keane added that he did not believe he swore and noted that the fan then took a picture of him on the flight.
Steven Gerrard, also a panelist on the show, shared his own experience, noting that such behavior in the Middle East could lead to severe consequences. "If you do that in the Middle East (you're in) big trouble, big trouble," Gerrard said. "When I first arrived in Saudi (as manager of Al-Ettifaq), you know when you put your little small bags through the extra layer of security. A guy took a sly picture, and got a week in jail. We need rules like that."
Keane agreed with the sentiment, suggesting a harsher penalty: "Not a week, 10 years in prison. The guy wanted to be seen."
Keane has previously spoken out against autograph and selfie-hunters, referring to them as an "absolute nuisance" and suggesting they lack respect. This sentiment echoes a prior incident in November 2024 where he was reportedly involved in a verbal dispute with an Ipswich fan after allegedly refusing an autograph request during his tenure as the club's manager between 2009 and 2011.