Roy Keane is not usually one to mince his words when he’s on punditry duty and that was certainly the case back in November.
Keane was on pundit duty for Manchester City against Liverpool in the Premier League late last year and was left incensed by something he saw from Kyle Walker.
Walker found himself in hot water early on in the clash at the Etihad Stadium when Sadio Mane got the better of him inside the penalty area.
The Liverpool forward received a pass from Andy Robertson and spun towards goal before Walker tried to rectify his positional mistake by winning the ball.
He succeeded only in clumsily bringing down Mane and conceding an early penalty which Mohamed Salah converted to put Liverpool 1-0 up.
Gabriel Jesus equalised to make it 1-1 at the break - and the match finished level - but that did not matter to Keane who, in his typical and inimitable style, tore into Walker at half-time.
“Mane is up against an idiot,” he began furiously on Sky Sports.
“People think Kyle Walker is playing well. I don't think so, he keeps making mistakes.
“He's an international, 30-years-old and he's a car crash.”
Keane is a box-office pundit known for his acerbic, no-prisoners and often angry takes.
But even taking into account his spiky personality - and the social media interactions his comments will no doubt have earned his employer - Keane was wide of the mark on this occasion.
Leaving aside the acceptability of calling someone an “idiot” for something harmless they have done on a football pitch, Walker is clearly not deserving of such criticism.
The England international has proven himself over a long period of time to be one of the best right-backs in the Premier League.
Man City saw fit to pay £50million for his services back in 2017 and they haven’t been made to regret it - as three Premier League titles, four Carabao Cups and one FA Cup will attest.
But if there were any lingering doubts about Walker’s ability, then surely even Keane has changed his tune after watching Euro 2020.
What have you made of Kyle Walker's performances at Euro 2020? Have your say in the comments section below.
Walker has played in five of England’s six matches at the Euros, helping win all five of those games. The 31-year-old is undeniably a crucial asset to Gareth Southgate and arguably one of his most important players.
Walker’s adaptability - he is comfortable playing on the right of central defence, right-back or right wing-back - has been in evidence throughout the tournament.
His positional intelligence has been clear to anyone paying close attention: while he can charge forward, Walker has carefully selected when to do so.
That is because, more than any other player, he is vital to England’s defensive stability. Walker’s straight-line speed is still breath-taking, meaning he is tasked with performing crucial recovery runs when the backline is breached.
While England have conceded just one goal in six games - and even that came from a stunning long-range free-kick - there have been countless occasions when Walker has saved the day, sprinting back to shut the door on opponents who appeared clean through.
Walker’s speed has always been obvious, but it was generally in evidence going forward, overlapping and getting crosses into the box. The fact we are seeing it going the other way is a clear indication he has taken on board Southgate’s instructions and accepted responsibility.
Luke Shaw has won plaudits for providing a fantastic attacking outlet on the opposite flank, yet Walker has been equally important in a defensive capacity.
Keane’s comments were a long time ago and he likely doesn’t remember every player he has criticised over the years. But let’s hope that the former Manchester United midfielder has at least changed his opinion of Walker over the past few weeks.
