Manchester United legend Roy Keane believes under-fire manager David Moyes deserves to be given time to revive the team’s fortunes, but he has urged some of the club’s senior staff to offer more support to the beleaguered Scot.
Keane is convinced the Old Trafford hierarchy will give Moyes time to build his own United team this summer, but he suggests the former Everton boss needs help from the club's leading lights to win over angry supporters.
“I think United will be all right and David Moyes will get plenty of time,” Keane is quoted by the Sunday World. “The man deserves it, but his staff -- Steve Round and Phil Neville -- and a couple of senior players, Rio [Ferdinand] and [Ryan] Giggs, they have to step up to the plate.
“One or two of the new players are getting criticism, but it’s up to the players who have been there a few years who know what United are about.
“We had tough days [during Keane’s time at the club]. We ground out results, we survived a few times, we got lucky breaks. When we won the league [in 1996], at Newcastle we could have been 5-0 down at half-time, yet we ended up winning with Eric Cantona nicking a goal.
“You need defining moments, but this team will not find it because they don’t have it in the group. It’s not a lack of effort. I’ve seen a few of United’s games and they have lost a bit of confidence. They are human beings.”
Keane went on to dissect what Moyes needs to do if he is given a summer to rebuild United, accepting a huge job lies ahead.
“I don’t know where you start,” added Keane, who was speaking at the launch of Cork City FC’s Patron Scheme. “They need a number of players. Defensively, there are players leaving and I don’t think it helps Nemanja Vidic is going, people are talking about Patrice Evra and obviously Rio and Giggsy are coming to an end.
“They are lacking a few leaders at the moment and I don’t think they have that type of player in the group.”
Keane conceded United will be in danger of yet another Old Trafford hammering if they continue to play as they have done of late against Bayern Munich in the Champions League next week.
“If they play against Bayern like they have in the last two weeks, then they will be in massive, massive trouble,” he added.
“It is not going to get any easier in the next couple of months and there is more pain to come with Bayern next Tuesday. In defence of David Moyes, he cannot believe how tough it’s been.”