Football great Roy Keane complimented an a former Liverpool star, claiming he’s “one of the best lads I’ve ever come across”. Djibril Cissé, the former Reds striker, gets a big thumbs-up from the Manchester United legend.
Keane signed Cissé for Sunderland on loan from Marseille in 2008 where the Frenchman made himself known by scoring 10 league goals in 35 games, helping their squad stay up. Reflecting on signing Cissé amid concerns about the player’s attitude, Keane shared on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet: “Sometimes you don’t know a player until he walks into the building.
“I’ve made lots of phone calls and people will say, ‘He’s a good lad,’ or ‘I’m not sure.’ I remember when I tried to get Djibril Cissé and every one said to me that he wasn’t a great lad, but I took a chance, and he was one of the best lads I’ve ever come across.”
“You honestly don’t know a player until he’s walked into the building.” Cissé has given credit back to Keane, telling FourFourTwo magazine in 2020 how Keane “got the best out of me” at the Stadium of Light.
“Oh, I love the guy,” Cissé said when asked about his time playing under Keane. “Marseille had spent some money on new players by then, so when my agent contacted me and said Roy Keane would like me to join Sunderland on loan, I considered it.
“I wasn’t getting enough match time at Marseille, so I thought: ‘Why not?’ Roy was brilliant. I was never nervous around him. We have a lot in common and both take football very seriously — I never forgot how important any club was.
“Roy was always very straight with me and got the best out of me. I remember one game: at half time we came in and I hadn’t played great; not that bad, but I hadn’t been myself. Roy walked in and went for me.
“Oh my god, he was screaming at me — really crazy, loud. It took me back 15 years when Guy Roux used to shout at me as a kid. I realized what Roy was doing. Like Guy, he was trying to get me going. So, I lifted my head up and smiled. I smiled, knowing what he was doing.
“Well, Roy just got even angrier. ‘What the f**k are you smiling for?!’ Anyway, after 10 minutes I scored and sprinted over to him on the touchline. ‘Well done, boss. I know exactly what you were doing!’ He looked at me like I was mad. But I did love the guy.”
