Keane labels FIFA vice-president Warner 'a clown' over Yorke row

manager Roy Keane has branded FIFA vice-president Jack Warner 'a clown'.

The controversial head of the Trinidad and Tobago FA wrote to Keane this week and launched an extraordinary attack on him over Dwight Yorke's withdrawal from the squad to face the United States in a World Cup qualifier earlier this week.

Yorke, 36, has not featured for Sunderland this season after fracturing his cheekbone in pre-season in Portugal and the former Manchester United striker did play in his country's 1-1 draw with Guatemala last weekend before he was called back to Wearside.

Warner's accused Keane of undermining Trinidad and Tobago's World Cup hopes.

His letter said: 'Your callous disrespect for small countries to have their players represent them as enshrined in FIFA regulations reveals a mean streak in your character'.

That resulted in an angry phonecall between the two men this week and Keane has written back to Warner.

Although he refused to reveal the full details of his correspondence, Keane is certain to have made his feelings clear.

Red letter day: A stony faced Warner

'The man is a clown,' Keane fumed.

'He sent me a letter, which he was quite happy to give to the media, I spoke to him on Wednesday and told him what I thought of him and where I think he should go.

'Not once has he written me a letter about Kenwyne Jones, who got injured playing in a friendly match for Trinidad.

'They selected Carlos Edwards last season when he was out with a broken leg and Yorkie keeps making these cameo appearances for them, so maybe they’ve got some sort of deal going on themselves. I don’t know. The man is a clown.'

'I spoke to Yorkie, who has officially  retired a number of times.

'He is 36, and if they are depending on a 36-year-old to get them through to the World Cup in two years...'

Sunderland have close links with the Caribbean after signing three of the most popular players in T&T's history.

Yorke has a stadium named after him and Warner pleaded with him to end his international retirement at the end of last season to play in a friendly against England.

Kenwyne Jones also played in that match, which many observers feel was tied to vital votes for England's World Cup bid from Warner and his close associates on FIFA.

But the £6 million striker was ruled out for five months after suffering a knee injury, just a fortnight after breaking his wrist in the final league game against Arsenal.

'Kenwyne got injured playing in a friendly. I don't know what deal was going on with England that time, obviously a deal for (World Cup) votes or whatever.

'Kenwyne injured his knee even though he had broken his wrist in the last game
for us and I was pretty sure he wasn't available.

Soca Warrior: Jones will miss much of Sunderland's season after sustaining a knee ligament damage in Port of Spain against England in June

'Then I saw Yorkie coming on for a 20-minute cameo appearance. Yorkie is 36 bloody years of age - I'm blaming him anyway.

'He's a clown as well. You retire and then on an ego trip...

Yorke: 'He's a clown as well,' blasted boss Keane

'He has not played in the Premier League since he busted his cheekbone , and he goes over and he played the first game, 90 minutes.

'He couldn't play Saturday, Wednesday and then try to get involved for us on
Saturday, no chance, absolutely no chance.

'If I had known that, he probably wouldn't have got another year's contract from me. You have got to prioritise certain things at his age.

All my other eight or nine players who were away, no problem. They have all been selected for every friendly match - I have never, ever once spoken to one of my players about missing a game, never.

'Certain managers do - certain managers look after certain national teams, I know that. The man (Warner) is a clown.'

Keane is unimpressed with Warner's stance and the attack on the former Ireland captain.

He added: 'I've always given support to players going on international duty, 100 per cent. It’s just ridiculous that this clown is writing letters through the media.

'He’s on about small countries, but he’s probably a small man and he’s got a small man syndrome. The world’s against him. If he’s writing a letter representing Trinidad, why is he sending it on FIFA paper?

'If he’s vice president – and it’s vice remember, vice, not president – then God help us.

'People are going on about the game and agents and directors of football and managers losing their jobs, but we should be worried about people like him. It’s nonsense.'

Yorke, who can also expect a rocket from his club manager, captained his country in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Guatemala in Port of Spain, but was missing when they lost 3-0 to USA in Chicago four days later.

However, Keane, who insisted he has never prevented a player from linking up with his country, was adamant he has an arrangement with his former Manchester United team-mate.

Whether Yorke makes the squad for tomorrow's Barclays Premier League trip to Wigan remains to be seen as Keane and his players attempt to avenge their 3-0 defeat at the JJB Stadium last season, and bounce back from their mauling by the
same score on their own turf by Manchester City last time out.

Recent signings Anton Ferdinand and George McCartney could be included, but
Edwards is unlikely to figure after his gruelling trip to the Caribbean, while skipper Dean Whitehead is struggling with a hip injury.