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From the latest transfer news, quizzes, videos, features and interviews with the biggest names in the game, plus lots more.Signup +Once a week...And its LIVE!Sign up to our FREE live football newsletter, tracking all of the biggest games available to watch on the device of your choice. Never miss a kick-off!Signup +Join the clubGet full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in.Subscribe to our newsletterMick McCarthy has labelled film Saipan a heap of s*** and claims he watched it for less than half an hour before walking out of the cinema.The movie depicts McCarthy's famous falling out with Ireland captain Roy Keane ahead of the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea, which resulted in the skipper heading home and missing the tournament entirely.Unhappy about facilities and the Irish FAs choice of Saipan, a remote location in the Northern Mariana Islands, as a destination for a warm-up before the tournament, the Manchester United midfielders relationship with McCarthy eventually became untenable, resulting in an explosive team meeting in which Keane is famously said to have told McCarthy to stick the World Cup up his b*llocks before flying back home.Article continues below You may like Sunderland were going places under Roy Keane, but when the results dipped, he was off Phil Bardsley on his former Man United team-mates Black Cats managerial stint Roy Keane would tackle his own grandmother to get three points, but he was a pussycat with me Lee Sharpe on his relationship with his former Manchester United team-mate 'When I first got to Newcastle, I thought they were speaking German!' The incredible inside story of cult football film 'Goal!' told by Santiago Muez himself McCarthy claims the film makes him look like a 'northern numpty'After attempting to watch the film, McCarthy was less than impressed by how it covered the events, how short he appears on screen and how his personality came across.At an event in Dublin for the Irish Sun, for which McCarthy was joined by his Ireland squad members Niall Quinn and Stephen Hunt, he revealed that he barely made it more than quarter of an hour before heading for the exit.Asked how long he lasted before walking out he said: 20 minutes, before adding: My family and I all went to look at it, and it's a heap of s*** to be fair. My concern is, he's about 5ft 8in, Steve Coogan, and in the film Roy towers above him, for f***'s sake.The argument between the two mainly stemmed from Keanes belief that McCarthy and the Irish FA had chosen the location as a holiday destination, rather than a place to work hard and prepare for the tournament.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.And McCarthy believes the film has depicted him similarly, claiming they made him out to be a northern numpty - something he wholeheartedly disputes.He continued: It depicts me as an easy-going, northern numpty who was there for a f*****g good time and not to win, and I wasnt competitive.If anyone wants to come and f*****g tell me that, Ill have a fight with him on the f*****g stage. What to read next Gareth Southgate wasnt honest with me he left me on the bench without explanation when he took over at Middlesbrough Gaizka Mendieta on falling out with the future England boss 'Fabio Capello made me feel unwelcome but the sicko part of me loved it' - Joe Hart on how he got his kicks during early days with England 'What has he done to be a coach of Manchester United's first team?' Roy Keane and Gary Neville lock horns over Michael Carrick's staff picks McCarthy saved his most savage takedown for Keane himself, suggesting it's unlikely the pair will put the past behind them any time soon.I mean, I do these Q&As, the last one I did, I got asked about Keane, McCarthy continued. I said, You know, hes a fabulous player, great captain, captain of his club and everywhere hes been and what hes done is fantastic.I said great goalscorer and everybodys looking at me and I said, Im talking about Robbie, not that other c***. Excuse that language!McCarthy isnt the only member of the squad who was unhappy about how theyd been depicted in the flick, with Niall Quinn claiming he had refused to watch it after hearing about how it made him look.The former Manchester City and Sunderland striker said: I havent seen it because I heard about it. There was no point in seeing it because Id have gotten frustrated as well.A friend of mine saw it, and he said to me, Youll be pleased to know they play you as a complete drunk who offers nothing to anything.Quinn did then concede that They might have a bit of a point there.The 2002 tournament remains the most recent World Cup to have featured Ireland, whose hopes of reaching this summers competition in North America were dashed on Thursday evening by a penalty shootout defeat to Czechia.They made it to the Round of 16 where they lost 3-2 on penalties to Spain, after Robbie Keane's dramatic late equaliser.The 'Saipan' film was better received by people outside of the squad, receiving 12 nominations at the Irish Film & Television Awards, including for best film and best director, while both Coogan and Eanna Hardwicke were nominated for best lead actor.Hardwicke eventually won that award for his depiction of Keane.TOPICSMick McCarthyRoy KeaneRepublic of IrelandWorld Cup 2002Ryan GraySocial Links NavigationFreelance WriterRyan Gray is a freelance writer, covering mainly travel and occasionally sport. He previously spent two years as Sports Editor at the Watford Observer before turning his hand to travel writing, with his work appearing in various national UK publications. He has gone from providing matchday commentary for Blyth Spartans to covering FA Cup and Euros finals, as well as interviewing the likes of Claudio Ranieri, Alan Shearer and Glenn Hoddle, among other big names.
