David Moyes Sacked: Manchester United Players should be Ashamed, says Roy Keane

Roy Keane has laid into the Manchester United squad saying they "should be ashamed of themselves" over the sacking of David Moyes.

The former Manchester United captain said the Scot should have been given more time to steady the ship at United but that his players ultimately let him down.

Speaking on ITV, the Republic of Ireland assistant manager said he thought Moyes had lost support of the dressing room.

"He [Moyes] had a hard start," Keane said. "Last summer, when he took the job, the chief executive didn't get the deals done and they had a slow start.

"I think it's a shame. He should have been given more time. Some of the players should be ashamed of themselves because they really let him down."

Keane, who won 13 major honours during an illustrious 12-year career at Old Trafford, refused to blame Sir Alex Ferguson for the side's slump, even after the pair's relationship deteriorated following the publication of ther# second installment of Ferguson's autobiography.

"You can't be critical of Sir Alex Ferguson. It wasn't necessarily his pick, he put his name forward but the club made the decision," the ex-midfielder said.

"To be seventh in the league is disappointing and you still have to take responsibility for that but he didn't have the support of the players."

Return

His comments came as reports linked Keane to a sensational return to Old Trafford as an assistant to prospective manager Louis Van Gaal.

The Irish Examiner claims the 62-year-old Dutchman wants Keane as one of his lieutenants if he takes the reins at United after this summer's World Cup in Brazil.

Van Gaal is said to be an admirer of Keane and would look to prise him away from his current role with the Irish national team, where he is manager Martin O'Neill's understudy.

The move would mark a sensational return to United for Keane, who was transferred from the club in 2005 after lambasting players during an explosive interview with United's in-house television channel MUTV.