Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has finally addressed the recurring criticism coming his way from club legend Roy Keane.
The Portuguese was named skipper in 2023 when Erik ten Hag decided to take the armband off Harry Maguire’s bicep. However, the playmaker never quite received the blessing of one of his greatest predecessors.
While Keane never truly took issue with Fernandes as a player, he just doesn’t deem him right for the captaincy, often raising questions over his leadership skills.
The hard-tackling Irishman is certainly not the only one who took issue with Fernandes and his infamous hand gestures on the pitch, but he recently emerged as the 30-year-old’s most famous detractor.
Nevertheless, Fernandes has been doing his talking on the pitch, producing the goods for the club twice a week to prevent a bigger disaster. The captain was at it again on Sunday, leading the Red Devils to a 3-0 victory over Leicester with a goal and an assist.
After the contest, Bruno was naturally asked about some of Keane’s recent statements. While he admitted that criticism can be hard to digest, the Portugal international showed his class by offering his respect for the former Republic of Ireland rebel.
“It’s not nice to hear bad things about you. I think no-one likes it, but at the same time, it motivates and it makes you feel that obviously there are a lot of things that people think you have to improve,” said Bruno in his post-match interview with Sky Sports.
“You have to take it in a positive way, understanding that whatever people are saying, if there’s a margin to improvement or not. Obviously, I know you’re talking about Roy Keane.
“I have a huge respect for Roy Keane. I think he was one of the best captains in the club and an amazing player for the club. He won basically everything for this club. It’s the way he thinks.It’s the idea he has about me as a player, as a captain. I have to respect that.
“I do things in my own way to try to be the best, not just captain, but person and teammate I can. I do it every day. I try to be an example in everything I do, on the training sessions, on the pitch, in everything I do. I accept that there’s a lot of margin for improvement in my game, in my leadership, in everything I do, even in my own life.”
