Former Republic of Ireland star Jason McAteer has admitted he wanted to "smash" Manchester United hero Roy Keane.
The duo played together under Mick McCarthy at international level but the amiable former Liverpool star admits he had bad intentions he squared up against his pal at club level.
Keane is regarded as the most fearsome midfielder enforcer in Premier League history and enjoyed legendary duels with his longtime rival Patrick Viera as the United vs Arsenal rivalry raged over a number of years.
But McAteer admits he also had his eyes on the Manchester United legend and was willing to do some serious harm in the process.
Speaking to the One Last Match Podcast, he said: "Sometimes you play against fellow (countrymen)… like Leeds I’d play against Ian Harte, I’d never think I’d want to smash him.
“He was on the left, I was on the right, it was always a battle. But it was fair, we’d hug each other at the beginning and hug each other at the end.
“If there was any words said, which very rarely there wouldn’t be, we got on with it.
“With Roy, you’d want to smash him, you’d want to hurt him. You wouldn’t pick him up.
“You’d have words, you’d mean it, you wouldn’t shake his hand at the end of the game. It’s how it was.”
