McCarthy gives his side of Saipan story

**Éanna** · 21/10/2002, 2:00 PM

Irish Examiner By Mark Evans
MICK MCCARTHY has revealed that the FAI scored a serious own-goal during his World Cup showdown with Roy Keane.

The Republic of Ireland boss has given his version of the storm in Saipan completing a hat-trick of accounts after Keane and Niall Quinn's respective autobiographies.

McCarthy says he was livid when he discovered that the association went behind his back and sent a final squad list to FIFA, including Keane's name, before the Irish manager knew his fiery captain had changed his mind and wanted to stay.

Fellow Corkman Colin Healy had been drafted into the squad by McCarthy following talks with Keane and the Irish manager had hurriedly faxed his new squad list to FIFA headquarters in Switzerland.

However, Keane had staged another u-turn and said he wanted to stay.

"Panic stations," McCarthy wrote. "A new fax is sent to FIFA but there is no guarantee it will make Switzerland in time to confirm the latest twist in this game of musical chairs. Then I discover that a fax had been sent by the FAI half an hour earlier with Roy back in the squad, before I even knew he was staying. I am livid."

McCarthy's chronicle of the week leading up to Keane's outburst, paints a different picture. After Keane's outrage at the lack of training facilities and kits, McCarthy wrote all was well.

"Another day in paradise. I breakfast with Roy. The sun is shining and life is sweet as we chat amicably for an hour or so. He's in good form and Saturday seems well and truly behind us now."

However, later that same day Keane told him he wanted to go home.

Once Keane has changed his mind and peace has descended upon the camp again, McCarthy was told what his captain had said in newspaper interviews.

"I get hold of the article and my blood begins to boil as I scroll down the fax. Not only are my decisions ... taken to the cleaners, the entire squad is affected by this criticism. Roy is even questioning their ability, the level they play at. He claims that we all put up with sub-standard facilities and even results on the pitch just because we are Irish."

The stage was set for the final showdown. McCarthy called a squad meeting and asked Keane to air his grievances.

"Roy Keane explodes. He shouts at me that he has a f***ing brain and then he's off on a wild rant about our preparations, my management, his dislike of playing for me as a manager."

During Keane's vitriolic volley he confessed that he deliberately missed friendly international games "because he didn't want to play for me," McCarthy said.

"For about eight minutes, I am every expletive imaginable, from 'c***' to 'w'. I was a crap player. I am a crap manager. I am a crap coach. I can't organise training. I can't make a decision. I can't get inside players' heads. I can't manage people, even though I have been managing him with kid gloves for six years now. I am an effing c*** and an effing w*****."

McCarthy says that he had never seen anyone act like that before and that Keane dragged up a 10-year-old argument between the two of them.

"Eventually Roy starts to repeat one question. 'You want me to **** off, don't you? You want me to **** off?' He has a point. I have had enough. He has crossed the line. I finally agree with him.

"I tell him to go. He tells me to stick the World Cup up my f***ing a***. With that, he is up and gone, out the door and out of the World Cup."

The Irish players supported their manager in the aftermath of the tirade of abuse, but McCarthy understood the enormity of the issue and he was worried about receiving the support of the Irish people.

"How will they feel towards me now? Will I ever have the same relationship with the Irish fans? Can I fly into Dublin or Manchester or Cork ever again? Will the Irish people turn on me now?"

In McCarthy's World Cup diary, which is being serialised by a Sunday newspaper, he said he hoped the nation would understand how Keane behaved and acknowledge how unacceptable his behaviour was.

**Éanna** · 21/10/2002, 2:05 PM

Originally posted by Éanna
"How will they feel towards me now? Will I ever have the same relationship with the Irish fans? Can I fly into Dublin or Manchester or Cork ever again? Will the Irish people turn on me now?"

Can someone please tell him manchester is in England

**fosterdollar** · 21/10/2002, 3:05 PM

So Roy was telling the truth all along ... and i still agree with him.

**Éanna** · 21/10/2002, 3:12 PM

Originally posted by Magoo
So Roy was telling the truth all along ... and i still agree with him.

My attitude to the whole thing is that Roy was dead right to be annoyed about those things, but that he took his anger out on the wrong people at the wrong time, and then made matters worse for himself by walking out. I don´t disagree with most of what he said it was the timing and the manner- and I could never forgive a fellow for abandoning his country just before the world cup.

**fosterdollar** · 21/10/2002, 3:22 PM

I situations like that there's nothing you can do that seems rational to people not involved in the situation. As far as i can see, Keane was making an effort to protect whatever dignity he thought he had left. In relation to McCarthy's comment about Keane stirring up a ten-year-old argument, fact is the argument should have been well and truly ended. By Mick. When he started the managerial job.