THE ROW BETWEEN ROY KEANE AND MICK McCARTHY BEFORE THE 2002 WORLD CUP WAS AN EPIC BATTLE WHICH WAS FOUGHT OUT FOR YEARS AFTER

IRELAND headed to the 2002 World Cup in glorious spirits. Their captain, Roy Keane, was at the peak of his game and had almost single-handedly dragged the team through a tough qualifying group behind Portugal only on goal difference and ahead of Holland thanks to Jason McAteer’s goal (see No.79).

A play-off with Iran was negotiated safely and qualification was assured for the side managed by Mick McCarthy.

But the facilities at the Irish squad’s base on the Japanese island of Saipan was not up to Keane’s standards, sparking an almighty row with McCarthy.

The Manchester United midfielder decided to leave but changed his mind and when stories began to leak from the camp he gave an interview to two Irish reporters detailing his woes.

McCarthy called a team meeting and brandished the newspaper at Keane, and also accused him of faking injury. Keane exploded and in an expletive-ridden tirade, accused the manager of being a liar, told him ‘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,’ and that he could ‘stick his World Cup up his a***’, ensuring there was no going back.

McCarthy held a press conference saying he was sending Keane home, but Niall Quinn insisted that ‘Roy walked out.’ Despite efforts by politicians, players and others, Keane went.

Fans took sides, but Ireland once again made the knockout stage, losing 3-2 on penalties to Spain after Robbie Keane’s last minute equalising penalty kick forced the game into extra-time.

The incident inspired several books and one hit stage musical, ‘I, Keano’, which ran with the memorable tag-line ‘He came. He saw. He went home.’