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Keane brands Jack Warner 'a clown'
Keane brands Fifa rep 'a clown'
Keane's outburst came in the build-up to Sunderland's match with Wigan
Sunderland boss Roy Keane has branded Fifa vice-president Jack Warner "a clown" and a "disgrace" in a furious war of words over striker Dwight Yorke.
Trinidad and Tobago star Yorke was set to face the United States in midweek but was allegedly withdrawn by Keane.
Warner, a Trinidad Football Association adviser, said Keane had shown "a callous disregard for small countries".
But Keane retorted: "Yorke is retired. I've told Jack what I think of him and where to go. He's a clown, a disgrace."
Yorke, who played in the 1-1 draw with Guatemala at the weekend, was quoted in the Trinidad Express newspaper before he missed the 3-0 defeat by the US as saying that he was "feeling caught between a rock and a hard place with my club and my country".
The situation prompted Warner to send an open letter to the media, in which he said Keane's actions "will not endear you or Sunderland to such countries". He continued: "Your insensitivity and disrespect for countries such as Trinidad and Tobago are hereby noted."
However, Keane, speaking ahead of the Black Cats' Premier League match against Wigan on Saturday, stated: "Yorke has played one reserve game for us since busting a cheek recently.
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"The agreement I had with the player was that he was not up to match fitness or speed and therefore wouldn't play in the match. He's 36 - he can't play two matches in a week.
"I love it when my players represent their countries at the highest level - I'm not like other managers in the Premier League and play silly games - but he's not fit and he says he's retired from international football anyway.
"Obviously, My Warner is making all these threats and a lot of them through the media but he doesn't really care about these players - he makes out he does but he doesn't.
"It's ridiculous. I'll be writing a letter back to Jack but - unlike him - I won't be giving it to the media. Basically, if he's the vice-president of Fifa, God help us all."
And the former Republic of Ireland and Manchester United midfielder warned that the player could face a reprimand too, saying: "Yorke has got to look at himself as well, mind. "He's told me he's retired from international football about five times and then I switch on the TV and he's running about with the squad. I don't know if it's an ego trip or whether he likes the odd cameo. "But I do know, for example, that we wouldn't have offered him a one-year deal this season if he'd said he was going to be playing for Trinidad. I'll be speaking to him today."
Keane's outburst came in the build-up to Sunderland's match with Wigan
Sunderland boss Roy Keane has branded Fifa vice-president Jack Warner "a clown" and a "disgrace" in a furious war of words over striker Dwight Yorke.
Trinidad and Tobago star Yorke was set to face the United States in midweek but was allegedly withdrawn by Keane.
Warner, a Trinidad Football Association adviser, said Keane had shown "a callous disregard for small countries".
But Keane retorted: "Yorke is retired. I've told Jack what I think of him and where to go. He's a clown, a disgrace."
Yorke, who played in the 1-1 draw with Guatemala at the weekend, was quoted in the Trinidad Express newspaper before he missed the 3-0 defeat by the US as saying that he was "feeling caught between a rock and a hard place with my club and my country".
The situation prompted Warner to send an open letter to the media, in which he said Keane's actions "will not endear you or Sunderland to such countries". He continued: "Your insensitivity and disrespect for countries such as Trinidad and Tobago are hereby noted."
However, Keane, speaking ahead of the Black Cats' Premier League match against Wigan on Saturday, stated: "Yorke has played one reserve game for us since busting a cheek recently.
606: DEBATE Give your reaction here
"The agreement I had with the player was that he was not up to match fitness or speed and therefore wouldn't play in the match. He's 36 - he can't play two matches in a week.
"I love it when my players represent their countries at the highest level - I'm not like other managers in the Premier League and play silly games - but he's not fit and he says he's retired from international football anyway.
"Obviously, My Warner is making all these threats and a lot of them through the media but he doesn't really care about these players - he makes out he does but he doesn't.
"It's ridiculous. I'll be writing a letter back to Jack but - unlike him - I won't be giving it to the media. Basically, if he's the vice-president of Fifa, God help us all."
And the former Republic of Ireland and Manchester United midfielder warned that the player could face a reprimand too, saying: "Yorke has got to look at himself as well, mind. "He's told me he's retired from international football about five times and then I switch on the TV and he's running about with the squad. I don't know if it's an ego trip or whether he likes the odd cameo. "But I do know, for example, that we wouldn't have offered him a one-year deal this season if he'd said he was going to be playing for Trinidad. I'll be speaking to him today."
Dear Mr Keane,
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