McCarthy was right to send me home, says Keane

[Éanna]

Monday 27th May 2002

Disgraced Republic of Ireland captain Roy Keane has admitted he left coach Mick McCarthy with no option but to send him home from the team's World Cup training camp. "A player cannot speak to a manager like that and continue to work under him," he conceded.

The Manchester United skipper launched a foul-mouthed attack on the Irish boss last week following criticism of the training facilities laid on in Saipan.

Keane insisted he has no regrets in speaking out over what he saw as poor preparations. But he accepted the slanging-match which followed a supposed clear-the-air meeting left McCarthy with no choice but to take the action he did.

"I don't regret what I said, but at the same time I agree that Mick had to send me home," said Keane. "I have never called Sir Alex Ferguson anything of the kind. We have had our arguments, of course, but I would not be a Manchester United player today if I had ever spoken to him like that."

Keane, though, was adamant he will not apologise to McCarthy, with whom the United star has had a long-standing feud.

"I'm aware that there were a lot of important people who wanted me to turn around and rejoin the Irish squad."

He added: "I knew the Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern, was involved. Michael Kennedy, my lawyer, was waiting for me at the airport when I landed back in London and he told me there were people in high places trying to resolve the situation.

"People from Bertie's office had told Michael they wanted me to go back. But I told Michael there and then that there was no way I was going back, not after what Mick had said and what the senior players had done to me.

"I actually feel more betrayed by them than I do by Mick - in particular Quinn, Staunton and Alan Kelly."

Meanwhile McCarthy, who has two years left on his contract, has received a vote of support from Irish FA (FAI) president Milo Corcoran.

Corcoran said: "We are with Mick and if Roy ever wants to play international football again he has to apologise to Mick."

General secretary Brendan Menton added: "I have spoken to Mick and the players and I am 100 per cent happy he did the right thing. There is no way back for Roy now. There is now unity in the squad and that is very important. During the World Cup new leaders and new heroes will emerge for Irish football.

"The decision that Mick McCarthy has made and we have endorsed is that the squad is more important than any individual member. The association back home fully endorsed him before I left Ireland and I've no doubt it was the right thing to do. The situation was only mentioned to me when I got to Amsterdam.

"I know there is some speculation in Ireland that I would be talking to Mick and that this might be opened up but that's not going to happen.

"There were numerous issues. Roy was the one who was unhappy but everyone else seemed to be happy and it had to be sorted out. Mick had numerous one-to-ones with Roy so this was needed to clear the air. The World Cup is a long tournament and having harmony within the squad is more important than anything else."from onefootball

[Éanna]

there we go- end of story. Mick was right, even roy said it. Can we get on with the football now please.