Roy Keane brutally insulted by Mick McCarthy as ex-Ireland boss reignites feud with Man Utd legend

McCarthy and Keane - two outspoken individuals who have never been afraid to speak their mind - butted heads prior to the major international tournament. Their war of words unfolded in Saipan - the Pacific Ocean island that gives its name to a new movie - and resulted in Keane being sent home before a competitive ball was kicked in Japan and South Korea.

Keane took issue with the facilities being used by the Ireland squad at their training camp base, with no footballs being provided at one stage. His grievances were aired in public, with McCarthy considered to be - as head coach - partly responsible for the supposed failings.

Keane told reporters of rock-hard pitches: “I can't imagine any other countries in the world who are far worse off than us, playing on something like that.” He denied acting like a “prima donna” and pointed out that playing surfaces that were markedly different to those he was accustomed to gracing at Premier League giants United were “dangerous”.

Eanna Hardwicke takes on the role of Keane in a production that has endeavoured to recreate real-life drama on the big screen, with Coogan filling the shoes of McCarthy. The film is not an exact account of what went on, with McCarthy not overly impressed at how he has been portrayed.

He is tired of discussing the incident, and Keane in particular, telling an event that was hosted by The Sun in Ireland: “What's it been, 24 years? And I still keep getting asked about it. I mean, I do these Q&As, the last one I did, I got asked about Keane.

“I said: ‘You know, he's a fabulous player, great captain, captain of his club and everywhere he's been and what he's done is fantastic’. I said, ‘great goal-scorer’ – and everybody's looking at me – and I said: ‘I'm talking about [old Ireland team-mate] Robbie [Keane], not that other c**t’.”

McCarthy, whose last coaching role came at Blackpool in 2023, did make a point of going to watch ‘Saipan’. It did not take long for him to walk out, deciding he had seen enough after just 20 minutes.

He added, having spoken with Coogan before filming took place: “My family and I all went to look at it, and it’s a heap of sh*t to be fair, and my concern is, he’s about 5ft 8in, Steve Coogan, and in the film Roy towers above him for f*ck's sake. And yes, I did speak to him [Coogan], because I got asked, but then I saw in one of the Irish newspapers that I coached him – no I f*cking didn’t coach him.”

Another legend of Irish football, former striker Niall Quinn, attended the same event and revealed that he has decided to give Coogan’s movie a miss. The ex-Manchester City and Sunderland frontman said: “There was no point in seeing it because I’d have gotten frustrated as well. A friend of mine saw it, and he said to me, ‘You’ll be pleased to know they play you as a complete drunk who offers nothing to anything’. And I went, ‘Yeah, well OK, they might have a bit of a point there!’”

While Keane brought his playing career to a close in 2006, he remains very much in the public eye. The sharp-tongued 54-year-old fills prominent roles in the world of punditry - for the likes of Sky Sports and ITV - and is always happy to offer an opinion while ruffling a few feathers.