Man Utd legend Roy Keane opens up on 'iconic' Celtic spell and reveals Everton and Bolton Wanderers interest

Premier League legend Roy Keane has opened up his time at Celtic in a recent podcast, lavishing praise on the 'iconic' club that he 'loved'.

The Sky Sports pundit was quizzed on his spell at the Glasgow giants on SkyBet's Stick to Football podcast, which he co-hosts alongside former team mate Gary Neville, and Keane shared his thoughts on Gordon Strachan’s management style and revealed which clubs he turned down in favours of the Hoops.

“I went to Celtic, an iconic and amazing club. The stadium is amazing, but I hadn’t really seen the training ground. I’m going back a few years – they have a good one now. I was in the dressing room with Celtic – we got changed at Celtic Park and drove to the ground in our boots and gear" recalled Keane.

As one of the most respected players of all time, Keane admitted he turned down a number of Premier League clubs in order to make the move to Scotland in 2005 and divulged his reasons for doing so during the podcast.

"I spoke to Everton, Bolton and a couple of other teams. I had that mindset which is crazy, when a club is forcing you out the door and you can’t sign for other teams. Everton would’ve been a good move at the time – the location, and I had huge respect for David Moyes – but I felt I couldn’t go to another English team" said the pundit.

The Man Utd icon featured in just 10 games for the Hoops but appears to have no regrets about the move north of the border, saying: “I didn’t kick a ball at Celtic – I was injured all the time. What I did enjoy – for all my comfort zone at Manchester United, and I loved every minute of my time at United – was that it was good to be in another dressing room for six months.

"The Celtic lads, there were one or two idiots but generally speaking, they are great lads. I mixed with different lads, different dynamics, and I really enjoyed my time at Celtic" added Keane.

The Champions League winning midfielder also offered a fascinating insight into former Celtic and Scotland manager Gordon Strachan, the man who brought him to Glasgow almost 20 years ago.

“Celtic and Gordon had a bit of success, but he said he backed away from all transfers. He went, ‘I've bought too many bad players’. Gordon held his hand up" admitted Keane. "He'd obviously had some success in terms bringing players in when he was at Coventry, but he got to the stage where he went, ‘I'm backing away from all [transfers]’. I'm sure he had some sort of conversations but didn't get involved and that's an experienced manager.”

The full episode of the podcast can be listened to here.