Jesper Blomqvist on Roy Keane: "When you get to know him and how much he loves to win, you always want him on your team”

It may feel like an alternative reality for Manchester United fans these days, but their beloved team was once at the pinnacle of the English game. Throughout the ‘90s and ‘00s they won 13 league titles, the most since the revamped top-flight’s inaugural campaign in 1992.

One triumph from that period stands above the rest. The 1998/1999 season saw Sir Alex Ferguson’s men become the first English side to complete the treble, when they rounded off a trio of Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League victories in dramatic fashion.

Stoppage time goals from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær completed a famous 2-1 comeback against a formidable Bayern Munich in the European Cup final, two minutes which have been played on-repeat ever since.

Teddy Sheringham by Sampson Collins.

Prime Video's three-part doc ’99 offers a fascinating deep dive into how they got there. Featuring insightful interviews from players, staff and supporters, it explores all the key moments, near misses and under-the-radar ingredients that contributed to the glory.

One such factor was greater investment in the squad. Determined to finally get his hands on the European Cup, Ferguson committed to improving his side’s depth, having at least two good players in each position.

Enter Jesper Blomqvist, a tricky left-winger brought in from Parma in the summer of 1998 to rotate with stalwart Ryan Giggs. The Swede first caught Ferguson’s eye while playing for IFK Göteborg, when they knocked United out of Europe a few years prior.

“It can't just be luck,” says Blomqvist of the treble victory. “There was something that we developed during the whole season, a belief in ourselves as a team and a togetherness.

“If you look at the final, Bayern were the better team on the day, there's no doubt about it. In the end, we managed to dig out the result. We had a few of those games throughout the season."

It was this never say-die attitude which gave them that extra boost.

“When you get that momentum and score a goal, you get that energy. I think that shows the character and mindset of our team. When we got the feeling that we had a chance to win, we didn't sit back and wait for extra time.

“Juventus away in the semi-final was the same type of game. It should have been impossible, at their stadium and the way the game started. But in the end, with Keano being the hero, we came out with a win.”

One of the stand out aspects of the documentary, from an Irish perspective, was the importance of two world-class Corkonians in the United XI.

“Regarding Keano, I mean, most people know about him. He was difficult to understand in how he expressed himself,” reveals Blomqvist of the tenacious captain. "When you come from another culture, you can find it hard in the beginning."

"But when you realise how much he's doing for your team and how much he wants the team to perform well, you forgive him everything. When you get to know him and how much he loves to win, you always want him on your team.”

“He was always playing in that team,” adds Blomqvist, referring to criminally underrated full-back Denis Irwin.  “He was such a calming presence to have behind me. I was quite inexperienced, so he helped me a lot and gave me confidence, it felt safe to have him behind you.”

“He's a fantastic guy, he’s very loyal and solid and a great character to have on your team. You need all kinds of people, and he's one of the base characters you need in a to create the right atmosphere.”

Peter Schmeichel by Sampson Collins.

A team brimming with big personalities, much of  '99 is dedicated to the approach and mentality of the mastermind behind it all, the gaffer, Alex Ferguson. Considered by many as the greatest to ever do it, what, in Blomqvist’s eyes, made him such a good coach?

“One of his biggest traits was that he was always so good one on one. He could convince you to sit on the bench and that you'll play an important role in the next game.

“He had different approaches to everybody, but in the end, he always put the team and the club before everything else. If you got too big headed, or put yourself in front of the team, he would put you down, no doubt about it."

“Another thing that made him stay at the top was his ability to adapt to new situations,” he adds. “The game is always changing so much, I was going out and drinking beer and he had to deal with that, now its probably social media.”

“He developed himself all the time, including his way of playing football, the tactical side of things developed a lot throughout the years. He learned a lot from his assistant coaches and he kept developing. It would have been fantastic to see a Manchester United team led by him playing against Klopp’s Liverpool or City with Pep.”

Speaking of which, the blue half of Manchester, with the backing of deep Emirati coffers, have very much usurped The Red Devils' dominance in recent years.

Last season, Pep Guardiola’s team emulated the great side of ’99 with a treble of their own. How does City’s recent triumph weigh up with United’s?

“It's really difficult to compare,” says Blomqvist. “It was tough to see them in win in a sense, we would have loved to be the only ones. I appreciate our treble even more since we the City one last year. When you see a team do it nowadays, you understand how difficult it is."

The current Manchester United side seem a way off their noisy neighbours, struggling to reach the title-laden heights of Alex Ferguson’s reign since his departure in 2013. One of the most discussed issues surrounding the club has been a lack of direction from the men at the top, something that fans are hoping will change with billionaire Jim Ratcliffe recently becoming a part-owner.

“I've been watching almost every game this year,” Blomqvist says. “There’s been some fantastic games and some really low points. I think one thing that strikes me, is the overall problems that have been around the club. There hasn't been really a direction from the club itself.

“Now they're really trying, but as a player, you’re still a human being, and you're affected by all the other things. If you don't see a clear path for the club, where everybody's going, including yourself, then it's difficult to find that consistency.

“The injuries have played a vital role too. I think a few of the injured players have been, you really important players who are foundation of the team and the squad, they've been badly missed.”

’99 is available to stream now on Prime Video.