Would you have this man as your captain?

The Keane controversy: Fist-shaking snarlers may have had their day as a new breed of leader gains popularity

This week we have learnt rather more about the workings of Roy Keane's psyche than his manager and club would have wished. Allowing for some licence from Keane's "ghost", Eamon Dunphy, in the Manchester United man's soon-to-be-published autobiography, we are informed that he put a personal fatwa on Manchester City's Alf-Inge Haaland (so, what was that all about, Alfie?); informed Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy prior to his solo flight back from the Far East, "You're a f****** w***** and you can stick the World Cup up your arse"; and, not for the first time, roundly castigated his own team-mates, present and past. "We weren't hungry fighters any more... some were getting away with murder."

We are all familiar with clog-and-yell tomes issued under the names of sundry footballers, but what raises such a work from dross to drama is when the words are those of a captain, a manager's representative on turf, especially when that man has come to epitomise the spirit of Manchester United over the last decade. Like "Captain Courageous", Bryan Robson, before him, the United skipper has almost become a mystical beast, blessed with seemingly supernatural powers. How often do we witness the epithets "Captain Fantastic" applied to Keane, even if the remainder of Sir Alex Ferguson's maligned squad did manage to win games without him, not least a Champions' League final? It is what bonds manager and captain and explains why the former has always forgiven the latter.

Publicly, at least, Ferguson appears far from dismayed about Keane's literary pugilism, an attitude that is apparently diametrically opposed to his views when Jaap Stam launched into print. Some have even suggested that the manager would be "thrilled" by Keane's declarations, because he is the one United player who is imbued with the same passion and antipathy towards defeat as himself.

Perhaps. But unlikely. Not when Old Trafford's most solid piece of armoury appears to have worked itself loose. There is constructive criticism and there is an emotional scattergun condemnation. Keane doesn't name names, perhaps understandably, but in not doing so he has left every other player harbouring the suspicion that the vitriol is directed at him.

Gary Neville is one player who has been a recipient of that narrowing of the eyes, the preface to chastisement that pours forth from Keane which is capable of transforming cream into yoghurt at 50 paces. Neville G may or may not be in the mind of Asterisk – as we should possibly now refer to Keane, given the number required in the serialised extracts – but one can think of a number of performers who will take great exception to the Irishman's views. Whether a million-pound-plus professional or a Sunday-morning junkie paying for the privilege of playing on a mudheap, nobody takes kindly to one man setting himself in judgement and effectively suggesting that only he possesses absolute commitment to the cause.

Take Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The unassuming Norwegian has spent many hours biding his time on the bench, and will always be in the shadow of Ruud van Nistelrooy, but in his own way you would not find a more dedicated player.

On top of all this, there is the prospect of Football Association sanctions regarding Keane's admission about the assault on Haaland (as if anyone believed his challenge was merely mistimed in the first place) and also legal action by the Manchester City player and his club. As Leeds discovered last year, such matters can be extremely distracting. Though no one anticipates Captain Keane to be denounced as a Captain Bligh by his team-mates, it does not bode well for dressing-room harmony, a crucial aspect of a captain's responsibilities.

It is particularly pertinent that Keane's conduct is under debate in the week that we witnessed the retirement of the Arsenal No 6 shirt, as well as its most revered occupant, Tony Adams. Off the field, they differed greatly. Keane has tended to be distant from his team-mates; Adams, back in his heavy boozing days, was definitely one of the lads. On the pitch, as captains, they shared many positive qualities and less attractive ones such as that in-your-face form of negotiation with match officials over disputed decisions.

Both players appeared to need conflict like a drug – if not with the opposition, then their own team-mates would suffice – in order to motivate themselves. As David Seaman recalls of Adams: "He would say to me, 'Come on, get me going. Give me a rollicking'. He liked that kind of stuff."

We may have censured them at times, but as we witness the passing of a breed which includes such names as the late Billy Bremner and Dave Mackay, men who had an edge about them and were surrogate managers, it is arguable whether the trend towards appointing a team's best player as captain – because he is the best player – is a desirable one.

The fist-shaking, hand-clapping rollickers have had their day and the young knights of shining example are moving in as captains: David Beckham of England and Ryan Giggs (when Keane is unavailable) at Manchester United. Then there is Arsenal's Patrick Vieira (yes, the Frenchman did receive 12 yellow cards and one red last season, but his record improved dramatically after he was made captain by Arsène Wenger). His predecessor, Adams, claims Vieira is "a born leader" but one suspects that, in his case, the honour was more a reward for remaining with the club and an extra incentive to behave himself. Anyway, as Wenger claims: "Everyone must be a leader on the pitch now."

In an ideal world, the captain would combine the merits of a Roy of the Ragers and Keano the Counsellor, an inspirational organiser one minute, an arm-around-the-shoulder type the next, a willing conduit between players and manager and one who had earned the respect of both from his own performances.

They are qualities that, with certain qualification, have been attributed to Keane over the years. His manager will be among many who will be hoping, albeit privately, that recent revelations will not have the effect of diminishing that standing among his peers.