Last Updated: Sat, 26 Sep 2009 12:36
Greg Halford has laid into his former boss Roy Keane ahead of his return to Sunderland tomorrow after a forgettable spell at the club.
Halford doesn't think the fans in the north east saw the best of him and puts the blame firmly at the door of the man who signed the defender from Reading.
The former Colchester man was only given limited opportunities to show Keane what he could following a £3.5m switch in June 2007, and soon found himself loaned out to Charlton and Sheffield United.
He told the Birmingham Mail: "One thing I always said about Keano was that his man-management was non-existent. He didn't like players coming up to his office and talking about things.
"I think that was another downfall of mine because I wanted to go up and speak my mind and say 'why aren't I playing?'
"Every player at Sunderland under Keano would tell you the same that it was difficult to talk to him."
Halford is now enjoying his football again under Mick McCarthy at Wolves while his old boss struggles to turn around the fortunes of Ipswich.
He added: "Keane is the type of person that once he has made his decision he doesn't have to explain it to anyone. He keeps it to himself. Once his mind is made up, it is made up and there is no changing it.
"Was it personal? Our personalities clashed, definitely. It turned into a personal thing between the two of us.
"There was a lot of stuff that happened behind the scenes which I don't really want to get into.
"Even before I signed I was a bit sceptical. I asked him 'how many times have you come and watched me?.'
"He changed the subject, so there was a little doubt in my head which I should have listened to in the first place.
"It was very frustrating. I was training well every day, putting everything into it.
"But once he had his favourite team in mind, that was it and there was nothing I could do about it - especially when Phil Bardsley came in, ex-Manchester United."