The red carpet will be rolled out at Old Trafford tomorrow when Roy Keane returns to his old stamping ground as the manager of Sunderland, but in November 2005 the former United captain was so frustrated with the club’s poor form and the attitude of some of his teammates that he confronted his manager about his concerns and accused him of becoming soft. In an interview with Des Lynam that will be shown on Setanta this evening, the United manager admits that he has mellowed with age and that his players are no longer scared of him. According to Sir Alex Ferguson, they treat him like a “great uncle”.

DL How do you assess your start to the season?

AF The first three games were absolutely magnificent performances. I’ve spoken to a couple of managers who have told me that we are better than last year. Our performance level has been excellent but the missing ingredient has been sticking the ball in the net. I think we can still catch up the teams ahead of us but it’s not going to be easy.

DL One of the ways to solve the goals-coring problem would be to go out to the marketplace again?

AF Yes, we’ve looked at the market but it’s pretty difficult when you get to August. You have to be aware of not diving in and making mistakes. I think we’ve got enough quality here and if we don’t get someone in then we’ll carry on with the players we have got.

DL Of course the papers always go on about [Dimitar] Berbatov from Tottenham?

AF Yes, but it’s always someone.

DL Now you face one of your old players this weekend. What’s your relationship like with Roy Keane?

AF Good, I get plenty of texts off him. He’s got the basic ingredients to make it to the top. He’s got a good knowledge of the game, he’s intelligent, he’s strong-minded, he can make a decision and that’s a great start. What he doesn’t have at the moment is experience. He did a fantastic job last year to get Sunderland promoted but you are in the big pool now – you are in amongst the sharks.

DL Was he the best player you have ever signed?

AF He wasn’t the best player in terms of ability but he was the best in terms of influence. Certain people do well because they have a fire in their stomach. I see a bit of myself in him. I think that most managers want to see themselves on the pitch and with Keane I certainly saw that.

DL Do you think you have softened?

AF Oh yeah. Maybe not if someone gets my back up, you still go mad. I’ve made this point to Roy. He said to me, you’ve changed and I said you have to change, Roy, otherwise you’ll kill yourself.

DL Do you still use the hairdryer?

AF That’s a myth. I read an article that said I used to go behind the stands to practise screaming. I took it to Maurice Watkins [the former United lawyer] and said can we do something about this? I said they don’t know me because I don’t need to practise it. You have to change because it’s a pressurised job. I remember a great manager, who’s dead now, who never drank in his life, ended up drinking a bottle a day. Management can change you, sometimes for the good, sometimes not.

DL How do you think it has changed you?

AF I don’t think I’ve changed that much, although some people may say I’ve changed because of wealth and the quality of wine that I drink, but I don’t think that’s down to your personality. You may as well enjoy yourself when you have to enjoy yourself. I took a helicopter down to Peterbor-ough the other day and Mick Phelan [the first-team coach] said I can’t believe it, you used to be the one who used to refuse everybody private planes and helicopters — you’ve changed. I said: “Mick, I’m nearly 66”.

DL How do you cope with the way modern players have changed, the way that they dress and the tattoos?

AF A shake of the head. I think the most important thing as a manager is to keep your control of the football club. If someone encroaches on my control then it’s a different issue altogether. You have to do something about that.

DL Are these players who earn £100,000 a week still scared of you?

AF I don’t know. I think we have a good balance. I don’t think there’s the same fear, they treat me more like a great uncle. Some of them can’t believe that I’ve been here for 20 years — Nani is only 19.

DL If you won the European Cup again, would that satisfy you, would you retire?

AF That’s a difficult one. I think the time for me to go would be when it was affecting my energy levels and health. We are controlled by our health and age catches us all but at the moment I’m feeling good.

To see the Des Lynam interview with Sir Alex Ferguson, tune in to The Friday Football Show at 6.30pm today, exclusively on Setanta Sports 1.