Roy Keane: Pablo Counago responds to ex-manager's claims

Counago became a fan favourite during his four years at Ipswich

Former Ipswich striker Pablo Counago has described Roy Keane as a "mess as a football manager" and a "coward".

Counago was responding to Keane's claim in his new book that the Spaniard was "dead lazy" during their time together at Portman Road.

Keane said 35-year-old Counago was "a player I didn't particularly like or get on with" and added "I nearly physically attacked him".

Counago scored 26 goals in his second spell at Town between 2007 and 2011.

Former Manchester United and Republic of Ireland midfielder Keane, now assistant boss at Aston Villa, was in charge at Ipswich between 2009 and 2011.

In a statement given to independent Ipswich Town website TWTD, Counago said: "The love and respect I feel for ITFC and its fans is something he will never feel.

"I always tried my best with the Blues, I felt so loved there, Ipswich is and will always be in my best memories.

"I could say lots of awful things about him but I don't feel right speaking about him, I feel sorry for him. That's why whatever he says about me I don't take offence, even though he's not telling the truth about me.

"It seems like he needs to criticise players, managers and directors etc to keep selling books as he is not able to do anything else in football. It is a very sad ending for a person that was so big as a player.

"As I told him once, I think he is a complete mess as a football manager. As he has said in his book, he wanted to hit me, but behind his appearance there's a coward.

"I just hope he can find happiness in his life as, in my opinion, being that miserable must be very mentally draining."