McCARTHY’S VIEWS ON ....

THE GAME HE MOST

REGRETS: ‘Only one sticks in my craw and that’s Macedonia away. That’s the one game that still hurts me, stays with me. Because we should have been in the European Championships. It haunts me. Even now thinking about it.’ SECURITY BREACHES: ‘We got to a hotel in Manchester [with Ipswich] and I went back to pick my car up. When I went in there was a Premier League team coming in and there was security [he mimics putting his wrist up to mouth] “eh, there’s someone coming”, they’re all on their walkietalkies and I’m thinking “what the f*** is going on here? Who’s turned up here?” it was like the

Prime Minister coming in.’

CYCLING: ‘Soon as it’s light, I’ll be out. I have three routes – a 16 miler, an 18 miler and a 22 miler. I started when I was manager with Ireland. I didn’t want to go running because I have bad knees, so I started cycling. I love it.’ STARTING MANAGEMENT: ‘I was only 33 and that could have gone monumentally wrong. I was fortunate I had ‘Taff’ (Ian Evans) with me who was a big difference. I had really good guys with me. Tom Whalley and Ron Howard. I might not have been sat here today if it wasn’t for Taff.’ SIGNING ROBBIE KEANE: ‘It’s been mooted but it’s not Robbie’s people or an agent telling me. There’s no good taking someone like Robbie in and he’s not ready to go or

needs six weeks [to get fit]. That’s with anybody for that matter. I love Robbie (left). I think he’s great.’

DAMIEN DUFF GOING INTO COACHING WITH

SHAMROCK ROVERS: ‘Great. I didn’t see it [in him as a player] but then we never really discussed it, he was in his playing career and we have not really had contact in his later years. He’s a great lad and I am glad he has, he has a lot to offer.’