Memories Of Roy Keane's Horror Tekel To Alf-Inge Haaland

Roy Keane's brutal tackle to Alf-Inge Haaland in the Manchester United vs Manchester City match in the 2001 Premier League competition. (Daily Mail)

JAKARTA - Excessive rivalry can be a frightening scourge in the world of football. The narrative was shown by Roy Keane and Alf-Inge Haaland. At first, the father of football player Erling Haaland had tackled Keane in 1997.

The smell of hatred also emerged. Keane intends to repay Haaland's treatment at the Manchester United (MU) derby against Manchester City in 2001. The result was surprising. Instead of just giving a lesson, Keane actually did a horror tackle that turned Haaland's career in professional football.

Alf-Inge Rasdal Haaland had a brilliant career. The man who was born on November 23, 1972 has joined the Norwegian club academy, Bryne FK. His talent as a brilliant football player. The narrative made Haaland make his professional debut in 1989, or at the age of 17.

The result was amazing. Haaland's talent began to be glimpsed by many English professional clubs. Leeds United even attracted Haaland's services in 1997. His arrival was greeted positively. Haaland is able to stably play in his position as a defender who can transform as a defensive midfielder.

Haaland's phenomenal action was when he kept Leeds United's victory against MU with a score of 1-0 in September 1997. At that time he had a fight with MU player, Roy Keane. Haaland was able to tackle Keane's move to score a goal in the penalty box in the second half.

Haaland's actions made Keane fall to the grass. Haaland did not regret his action. Instead, he came to Keane who was lying down. Haaland mocked Keane, who he considered pretending to get a penalty.

The action made Haaland given a yellow card because it injured Keane. While Keane had to be carried off the field. Since then both of them are like sworn enemies. Keane considered Haaland's violations a disgrace.

Keane admitted that Haaland bothered him during the match, and five minutes before the game was over, Keane tried to attack into the penalty box. The action had to be paid a heavy price, Keane. He was tackled by Haaaland and had to miss due to a ligament injury.

No player knew about this at the time. However, Haaland and his Leeds team-mate David Wetherall immediately accused Keane of pretending to be injured while he was lying in pain on the field, "explained Joseph McBride in his writing on the Mirror page, August 10, 2021.

The rivalry between the two is getting fiercer. Moreover, when Haaland accepted the proposal of a club in the city with Keane, Manchester City. Haaland's presence in City is considered capable of increasing City's defense power. However, disaster first appeared.

All of this was presented when Manchester United hosted City's opponents at Old Traford on April 21, 2001. MU looked stunning by winning through Teddy Sheringham's penalty in the 74th minute. City didn't want to lose. They responded with Steve Howey in the 84th minute.

The score became a 1-1 draw. The temperature of the match was heating up. Even though the match did not mean much to the Red Devils (MU's nickname). MU has already locked the Premier League title. However, the derby is still a derby. City prestige is at stake.

The heat of the match then made Keane dig up old wounds. He marked Haaland and launched a horror tackle in the 85th minute. Haaland's right leg was hit hard by Keane. The brutal tackle left Haaland's professional career destroyed. He then hung up his boots.

Keane himself received a red card in the match. He was banned from competing for three matches, then increased to five matches. Keane also had to pay a fine of 150 pounds. Keane himself revealed that he did hate Haaland, but he never intended to injure Haaland.

It was an action. It's football. It's a dog's way of fighting dogs. I've faced a lot of players and I know the difference between hurting someone (with verbal) and hurting someone. I don't play to hurt Haaland.

"There was no prior plan. I played against Haaland three or four times between the match against Leeds, in 1997, when he injured me and the game when I tackled him, in 2001, when he played for City. If I'm a crazy person who wants to take revenge, why should I wait years to get the chance to kill him?, "explained Keane as quoted by Daniel Taylor in his article on The Guardian's website entitled ROy Keane: I didn't Mean to Deliweightly Injure Alf Inge Haaland (2014).