‘Saipan was not a jolly’ – the infamous Keane v McCarthy row

Former Republic of Ireland captain Roy Keane’s bust-up with manager Mick McCarthy before the 2002 World Cup has become the stuff of football folklore.

The infamous row, which took place in front of the squad at their training base on the Pacific Island of Saipan, ended with Keane exiting the team days before the tournament in Japan and South Korea began.

That fallout is the subject of a new film – starring Steve Coogan as McCarthy and Cork native Éanna Hardwicke as Keane – which is released on Friday.

The 90-minute dramatisation portrays then Manchester United captain Keane’s growing frustrations at the lack of professionalism in the Republic of Ireland set-up, bemoaning the squad’s preparations for the World Cup, including no footballs to train with and a drinking culture among the squad.

However, former Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Dean Kiely, who was part of the squad in 2002, said Saipan was not a “jolly”, as it has sometimes been depicted.

“A lot of the squad – like myself, Kevin Kilbane and Damien Duff – were high-profile Premier League footballers playing at the top of their game. That shouldn’t be forgotten,” he told BBC Sport.

“Did we have a drink when we were allowed to? Yes. Did we work hard and train when it was scheduled? Of course.”

Kiely also questioned the idea that the team were left to train without footballs.

“We definitely had footballs, because otherwise we wouldn’t have got sessions done.”

Keane, who won seven Premier League titles during a 12-year stint at United under Sir Alex Ferguson, was unhappy about the training facilities in Saipan.

In May 2002, having threatened to exit the team once, he told the Irish Times that the pitches were “rock hard”.

“I can’t imagine any other countries in the world who are far worse off than us, playing on something like that,” Keane said.

He said he was not being a “prima donna” and called the facilities “dangerous”.

Days later, during a team meeting, McCarthy demanded an apology from his captain in front of the squad.

“I think Mick’s intention was to drop it on Roy in public,” Kiely said.

“I don’t know whether he wanted to embarrass him.”

Either way, the famously combative midfielder responded to McCarthy’s interrogation with a lengthy tirade. Legend has it that Keane told McCarthy “I didn’t rate you as a player, I don’t rate you as a manager and I don’t rate you as a person” before storming out and quitting the team.

Kiely said the silence following his departure felt like “an eternity”.

The then Charlton keeper said he tried to break the tension with a joke, saying: “I can play in the middle of the park if you need, Mick.”

In the absence of their best player, the Republic of Ireland, who shared a group with Germany, Saudi Arabia and Cameroon, reached the last 16 of the tournament, where they were narrowly beaten on penalties by Spain.

Keane would not resume international duty until after McCarthy had departed from his first spell in charge of the national side.

The Republic of Ireland have not reached a World Cup since.

Kiely said the side could have gone further in the competition had Keane not exited.

The film portrays Keane and McCarthy’s feud as one with deep roots, going back to their time as international team-mates.

“Did people know they probably weren’t the best of friends? I’m sure that was a given,” Kiely said.

“Did they continuously slag each other off? No.”

When Keane was encountered by journalists in the departure lounge of Saipan airport, he famously told BBC Sport NI presenter Stephen Watson that he had “no regrets”.

Another legend that has developed is that the Republic of Ireland had Keane’s quote daubed on the walls of their dressing room throughout the tournament.

“That’s not the way I recall it,” Kiely said.

“The motivation among the squad afterwards was to go out there and produce – not to prove anyone right or wrong.”

Hardwicke said he thinks Keane and McCarthy’s fallout was more “subtle and grey” than is depicted.

“Sometimes it gets simplified as the clash between the person who wanted to win at all costs – Roy – and the person who had more of a ‘we’re happy to be here’ approach – Mick,” he said.