Haaland Tweets Picture Comparing Roy Keane to Saddam Hussein, Quickly Deletes It

Details are emerging about Roy Keane's new autobiography, and once again the former Manchester United legend outlines his feud with ex-Leeds United and Manchester City midfielder Alf-Inge Haaland.

Keane received a three-match ban in 2001 for a studs up tackle on Haaland in the Manchester derby, that was later extended by a further five games as reported by The Telegraph, when he showed a lack of remorse for the tackle; Haaland claimed the injury ended his career.

That tackle came four years after Keane ruptured his cruciate ligament against Leeds, when Haaland had stood over the Irishman and accused him of faking an injury.

In his latest autobiography, The Second Half, which is being released this week, Keane played down the revenge element of his tackle on Haaland, but he again showed a lack of remorse.

"

There was no premeditation. I’d played against Haaland three or four times between the game against Leeds, in 1997, when I injured my cruciate and the game when I tackled him, in 2001, when he was playing for Manchester City. If I’d been this madman out for revenge, why would I have waited years for an opportunity to injure him?

Was I going around for years thinking: ’I’m going to get him, I’m going to get him.’? No. Was he at the back of my mind? Of course he was. Like Rob Lee was, like David Batty was, like Alan Shearer was, like Patrick Vieira was. All these players were in the back of my mind: ’If I get a chance I’m going to fucking hit you, of course I am.’

Haaland finished the game and played four days later, for Norway. A couple of years later he tried to claim that he’d had to retire because of the tackle. He was going to sue me. It was a bad tackle but he was still able to play four days later.

"

When details of the latest book began to emerge on Monday, Haaland's former Norwegian team-mate Egil Ostenstad took to Twitter looking for a response from Haaland:

"

Alfie. R Keane is at it again. Could we have a Twitter response mate? @alfiehaaland

— Egil Johan Østenstad (@Egilostenstad) October 6, 2014"

Haaland did supply a response, comparing the now fully bearded Keane to former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

Haaland deleted the tweet soon after but not before a number of people got screenshots of the tweet, including Irish Independent journalist Daniel McDonnell:

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Looks like Alf-Inge Haaland deleted his Roy Keane/Saddam Hussein lookalike tweet pic.twitter.com/GbQxglapbT

— Daniel McDonnell (@McDonnellDan) October 6, 2014"

Keane's book was meant to be released on Thursday, with the player holding a press conference on the same day, but details of its contents emerged three days early when a shop in Manchester prematurely put it on its shelves by mistake, according to The Telegraph's Mark Ogden.

[H/T Balls.ie]