Carlos Edwards and Phil Bardsley have lifted the lid on Roy Keane's dressing room at Sunderland. The former Black Cats boss was linked with a sensational return to the Stadium of Light last year following Lee Johnson's departure, but the club appointed Alex Neil who would later lead the club back to the Championship.
It was in the second tier that Keane made his name as red and white boss, winning the Championship title after taking the Black Cats from the relegation zone back to the Premier League. Keane is renowned for his gritty man management of players and winning mentality.
Speaking to Four Four Two, Edwards said: "He wanted us to give everything. When I met him for the first time, I was excited and he laid out everything he wanted to achieve - he thought he could get us promoted. It was a no-brainer decision.
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"He had a poker face. You never knew which Roy Keane you were going to get on any given day: if it was angry Roy, happy Roy, sad Roy. But he always had a winning mentality, which he tried to bring to us."
Edwards' 80th-minute winner against Burnley confirmed Sunderland's promotion to the Premier League, with Derby County failing to beat Crystal Palace the following day. "His reaction to my goal was just 'Yeah, good' - no punching the air or hugs," said Edwards.
"He didn't want to show that side of him. You can still see that now on TV: he wants to smile or laugh, but he holds it back - all you get is a little smirk.
"People want to see the Roy Keane who's angry all the time, but that's not the case. Deep inside, he's as soft as a baby but he's got a tough outer layer."
There was no open top bus when Sunderland won promotion back to the top flight - Keane had other ideas. "We went to Portugal for pre-season," says Edwards.
"And after training he said 'Who wants to take a free-kick against me? It's €50 a player.' Only two or three players scored. Some who took free-kicks never paid him - he certainly wasn't happy about that."
Keane's harsh management style and differences with Ellis Short saw the former Republic of Ireland international resign from his position in November 2008. Edwards said: "Part of his downfall was that he might only be at training two or three times a week.
"He commuted a lot - I don't think he wanted to move to Sunderland. That left a sour taste in some players' mouths. People would ask 'Where's the gaffer?' He lost the changing rooms a bit."
Unlike others in the Black Cats dressing room, Bardsley was a fan of Keane's management style. He said: "He was exactly the same person as a boss as he had been as a captain. If you gave it your best shot, you'd earn his respect. He demanded the same standards, but some lads found it harder than others.
"He's an intimidating bloke to be around - if you get on the wrong side of him, or don't impress him, woe betide you. I prefer straight talkers and Roy tells it how it is. Some probably preferred the arm-around-the-shoulder approach. That wasn't his style."
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