Keane hints at retirement
Celtic midfielder Roy Keane has revealed he is considering retiring at the end of the season.
The former Manchester United star has admitted a long-standing hip problem could force him to hang up his boots at the end of the current campaign.
Keane, who joined Celtic in January after 12 successful years at Old Trafford, has over a year to run on a his contract at Parkhead.
The Irishman has been troubled with the hip injury since 2002 and he admitted he is thinking of quitting the game in the summer to spend more time with his family.
"When I signed for Celtic I did say to them that it would be best for the club and myself to maybe look at things in the summer, but they were quite keen for me to sign for the extra year, which I did eventually," Keane told The Guardian.
"But I will look at things in the summer and see how my hip is bearing up.
"I´m due to go back to the hip specialist in the summer. It´s important to be fair to myself and the club if it is affecting me.
"I´ll weigh it up then, but there are no guarantees about next season, I have to say.
"Since having the surgery in 2002, I´ve regarded every season as a bonus, but I´ve got to look at the long-term side of it and see what´s best for me and my family.
"Over the last few months, I´ve always put football first but come the summer, I need to look at what´s best for my family."
Keane also confirmed that his testimonial for United will take place against Celtic at Old Trafford on May 9.
The former Nottingham Forest man has been awarded a testimonial as reward for his service to United and Keane admits he has mixed emotions for the game.
"There is a date, perhaps May 9th," added Keane. "The United and Celtic boards have agreed to playing a game.
"It´s something I´m not 100 percent comfortable with. It wasn´t something I´d planned. Perhaps if I´d seen out my contract at United, but even after 12-and-a-half years, it just doesn´t sit comfortably with me. It´s hard to explain, but it just doesn´t.
"However, United and Celtic have been encouraging me, so it looks like it´s going ahead.
"It will be nice to go back in terms of never having had a chance to say goodbye to the fans.
"Not necessarily going back and seeing the manager and the staff and the players, because you are bound to see them over the years.
"But in terms of playing Old Trafford and saying goodbye properly...perhaps.
"Nothing´s been fully agreed and sorted out, but there will be a charitable benefit to having it - lots of people in Glasgow, and Manchester and Cork and Dublin, I imagine, will benefit."
Keane also moved to reject rumours that he has fallen out with Sir Alex Ferguson following his somewhat acrimonious departure from United.
"It was very straightforward between myself and the manager," said Keane.
"I think maybe people have been looking for a different angle on it, but we´d both come to the end.
"I said earlier, when you´re in a relationship with a girl, you just know when it´s at the end, and that´s the way it was. It was over and that´s it. Time to move on."
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