Eni Aluko has issued glowing praise the way of former Manchester United captain Roy Keane.
The former Chelsea Women's forward is often seen side-by-side with Keane via ITV Sport's broadcasts and is likely to once again pair up with the 52-year-old as this summer's European Championships approach.
Having shared punditry duties with many former stars, it is the former United captain whom Aluko has had the most pleasure of working alongside.
"The other guy I love working with is Roy Keane," began the 37-year-old, speaking exclusively to FourFourTwo at the London Football Awards. "I don’t get to work with him that often but I just think that he’s such a wonderful man in such an endearing way.
"People think he’s just this angry, frustrated man but actually, he holds court, he’s very genuine and authentic. I feel as a woman very supported by him. I feel very respected by him – I love Roy Keane."
Keane, who hung up his boots back in 2006, has spent most of his post-footballing career in the TV spotlight on Sky Sports and ITV. Reportedly earning a whopping £3 million for his appearances on Sky's popular football broadcasts across the season, the former Republic of Ireland international once shared how it was pure chance that he landed a job on the screens of millions every week.
“I was never that bothered about [becoming a pundit]," he said back in 2022 via The Overlap. "When you're playing, you're in the zone and I never took too much notice of what people were saying,” he explained.
“I kind of just fell into it really when I just left Ipswich. United were in the Champions League final at Wembley and ITV got in touch asking if I would do a game.
“I was in my house in Ipswich thinking, ‘Will I, won't I?’ This is true, I think it was the Monday, a few days before the final, and they wanted an answer quickly.
“I read my horoscope that day and it said, ‘You can't keep saying no to people’, so I said, ‘I'll do it’. I don't mind just giving my opinion and then going home.”
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