Roy Keane believes he was "too nice" during his play career despite being known for his relentless desire to win.
The Irishman captained a Manchester United side that dominated English football for a decade.
He was known for driving standards and didn't shirk a confrontation if he felt it was for the great good.
And while he admits he sometimes went overboard, there are times where he felt as if he gave people an easy ride.
“Sometimes I was too hard. Sometimes I was too soft,” he told the Irish Independent .
“If I was critical, looking back on my own career and how I dealt with people, even in management – and people mightn’t believe this – but I reckon that sometimes I was too nice to people.
“People stabbed me right in my chest, it wasn’t in my back. Because I was too nice to them.”
That may come as a surprise for some giving the mean streak that seemed to exist in Keane.
The hard tackling midfielder wasn't alien to a sending off and famously admitted that breaking Alfe-Inge Haaland's leg in a Manchester derby was preempted.
He also confessed that his drive to be the best is a reflection of his personality but helped him to achieve the success he did.
“That was who I was. Even pre-season, any game I ever took it easy in, I guarantee you I was the worst player on the park,” he added.
“I couldn’t do it. I just couldn’t do it. It just wasn’t in my make-up. I had to be full pelt. If I lightened up too much in football, I would never have got to England. If I did, I wouldn’t have lasted two minutes.”
His playing style is now evident in the way he comments on games as a pundit with David de Gea the latest player to be on the end of Keane's criticism.
Following his error in United's draw at Tottenham Keane claimed he was "sick to death of this goalkeeper".
