Roy Keane has the ITV studio laughing after downplaying Neil Etheridge’s triple save in Birmingham’s FA Cup win against Forest Green.
The former Manchester United legend chose not to praise the goalkeeper’s heroics in their FA Cup third round tie on Tuesday night.
Birmingham beat the League Two side 2-1, but was close to falling behind at 1-1 with Etheridge having to make a remarkable triple save to keep them in the tie.
“THAT’S HIS JOB” 😂
Roy Keane was not impressed by Neil Etheridge’s heroic triple save for Birmingham City last night 🦸♂️#ITVFootball pic.twitter.com/YGjDpan3ZX
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) January 18, 2023
The 32-year old tipped a long-range attempt onto the bar, before getting up and over the goal line to block the next shot. Forest Green’s third attempt was again blocked by Etheridge.
After the game, fans flocked to social media to send praise to Etheridge’s heroics. Robbie Earnshaw, an ex-footballer turned pundit for ITV, was just as kind about Etheridge, during the broadcast of Leeds v Cardiff.
Keane was less impressed by the goalkeeper. He simply stated that it was his job to keep the ball from reaching the net.
Etheridge was even criticised for not catching the goal attempt before saying that they were ‘standard saves’.
Speaking on ITV after the game, Keane said: ‘That’s his job! I think they’re standard saves. I actually think catch the first [shot]. Pretty straightforward. That’s why he’s wearing gloves! That’s his job, honestly it’s pretty straight forward.’
Keane has been known to undermine goalkeepers before. In 2007, Keane spoke out about how he made Craig Gordon look foolish while managing Sunderland.
Keane was dissatisfied with the performance of Keane’s goalkeeper, who he had signed from Hearts for £9m. Keane decided to take a stand during training in order to prove his point.
He recalled: ‘I put the gloves on and I said that if they could get the ball past me I’d give them a thousand pounds each but, if they missed, they’d have to give me a hundred.
‘Eight or nine players lined up, and I knew that Craig and the other goalkeepers were pissed off with it. They didn’t even look at my goalkeeping skills.
‘They just did their stretches. I tipped a few on to the bar, on to the post, and I kept a clean sheet. I won eight hundred quid off the players – I could have lost eight grand.
‘I was trying to generate a bit of banter, but I’d embarrassed, and maybe belittled, the goalkeepers. I hadn’t meant to.
‘But I didn’t think the keeper should be beaten from 25 or 30 yards. I think I lost Craig for a few weeks, and maybe longer, because of that.’
This is what social media users said when Roy Keane has ITV studio laughing after downplaying Neil Etheridge’s triple save…
@Harry0AFC: Getting a bit boring now
@BluesAnalytics_: By that logic every goalkeeper should save every single shot taken against them then, because it’s their job. Cheers Roy, great insight as always.
@antbcfc4812: The refs job is to ref a game but they don’t exactly do that very well
@c6ear: Oooo he’s so cool and moody ooooo
@DanAdams09: Roy’s fucking with us , come on , if there was a puskas for goalkeeping which there might well be of some sorts, this would piss it. Some of the best goalkeeping I have ever seen that.
@DerryKris: Never mind that, how’s the keeper been allowed to wear that shirt when opposition are in practically same colour!!
@BenJamminReece: Yeh nice one Roy, it was your job as a manager to. . . . Errrr yeh. . .
@NicktheSaddler: A bit like a pilot landing a plane and every on board applauds! I’m with Roy on that one too! THATS HIS JOB! 🤣👍😃
@hoffsports: What a complete bell. 3 great saves, yes it’s his job. But come on!
@petermc1967: That’s why he’s wearing gloves 🤣
@GarringtonMiles: Got to be satire
@realmarkstrange: Roy Keane coming dangerously close to becoming a parody of himself here
@Andyjack83: It’s the initial save that is impressive then the follow up you could argue was a poor finish but credit the keeper for bouncing up to get his hands up twice to push the ball clear, it was great goalkeeping from a keepers perspective Roy was not a goalie..
@MattyBrennan: No bluenose will be surprised at an ex vile assistant manager being a d!ck. That’s our reserve keeper making class saves! If that was de Gea he’d be saying it was top quality. #bcfc
@MattDavidMundt2: Never understood why people like him so much. It’s brilliant goalkeeping and it should be acknowledged as such. It was job to win games as a manager, how did that turn out?
@inferno_Will: Hate this. Outfield players will never understand how absolutely incredible this is and how difficult it is. Well done Neil Etheridge, I hope you are seeing the praise you absolutely deserve for this, not some misery guts like Roy Keane
@SHANE7W: Classic Keano
— bit__risky (@lsterad) January 18, 2023
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