Roy Keane has been omitted from the Premier League's Overall Team of the Decade, despite having made the Overseas Team of the Decade at the FA Premier League 10 Seasons Awards. His Republic of Ireland and Manchester United team-mate Denis Irwin was named in the Overall side at left-back.
Former Manchester United team-mate Eric Cantona, who was named as the Overseas Player of the Decade at the awards, expressed his surprise at the United captain's omission.
"I am surprised there is no Roy Keane in it because he is the player of the decade for me," said Cantona. "He is a leader, he is defensively very good, he scores goals, he has vision, he has everything. Roy impressed me a lot when I went to Manchester United, he was a key player for the team and he still is. Sometimes he is a strange character, which doesn't help him, but he deserves to be in the team and it is sad that he isn't."
Seven of the 11 players in the star-studded team were past or present United men. The team in full is: Peter Schmeichel; Gary Neville, Tony Adams, Marcel Desailly, Denis Irwin; David Beckham, Patrick Vieira, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs; Eric Cantona and Alan Shearer.
Newcastle striker Shearer was named Domestic Player of the Decade, being the only man to have scored over 100 Premiership goals for two different clubs, Blackburn and the Magpies. The Manager of the Decade was Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson.
Goal of the Decade was awarded to David Beckham for his 60-yard wonder strike for Manchester United against Wimbledon on August 17 1996 while the Match of the Decade was Liverpool's 4-3 victory over Newcastle at Anfield on April 3 1996.
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
