Mick McCarthy reveals Roy Keane’s name is BANNED at his house and anyone who mentions the ex-midfielder or their bust-up in Saipan is given the ‘D**k of the Day’ award… 18 years after the infamous incident!
- Mick McCarthy claims anyone who mentions Roy Keane to him is punished
- The former Ireland boss sent Keane home just days before the 2002 World Cup
- Ex-midfielder Keane went on a expletive-laden rant at McCarthy in Saipan
- McCarthy says anyone who mentions Saipan or Keane is given ‘D*** of the Day’
Mick McCarthy has revealed he does not allow any of his family to mention Roy Keane’s name in his house after the Saipan incident before the 2002 World Cup.
In the build-up for the summer tournament in Japan and South Korea, Republic of Ireland midfielder Keane was sent home during a training camp following an expletive-laden rant against manager McCarthy the week before the tournament.
Both Keane and McCarthy still do not get on to this day with the latter claiming any mention of the former Manchester United captain either to him or his family is strictly off-limits and is met with a punishment.
Mick McCarthy says he punishes anyone who mentions the 2002 Saipan incident to his family
McCarthy (left) sent midfielder Roy Keane (right) home just a week before the 2002 World Cup
McCarthy told Paddy Power’s From The Horse’s Mouth podcast: ‘Normally someone does (mention it) on a daily basis you know and I say to everybody our careers shouldn’t be defined by that.
‘We have a bit of a competition in our house that anybody who mentions Saipan or the other fella (Keane) any day wins the ‘D*** of the Day Award.’
‘Whether it’s said to me or said to any of my family. They’ll say, ‘Oh dad, I had the D*** of the Day today, somebody mentioned it.”
Keane had become dissatisfied with Ireland’s preparations the week before the tournament began, with the Manchester United midfielder previously revealing that he planned on going to the World Cup to win the competition.
Keane (left) went on an expletive-laden rant at McCarthy over preparations for the tournament
According to Irish media at the time, Keane was understood to have told McCarthy: ‘Mick, you’re a liar… you’re a f****** w*****. 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.
‘You’re a f****** w***** and you can stick your World Cup up your a***. The only reason I have any dealings with you is that somehow you are the manager of my country! You can stick it up your b*******.’
McCarthy then revealed via a press conference that Keane had been sent home following his tirade. Ireland finished second in their World Cup group behind Germany but they were knocked out in the first knockout round by Holland.
McCarthy claims that anyone who mentions Keane (above) to him is given ‘D*** of the Day’
The former Republic of Ireland manager, who ended a second stint in charge of his country earlier this year, also revealed he had a more recent argument with Declan Rice after the West Ham midfielder opted to play for England instead.
Rice, who grew up in London but had Irish paternal grandparents, played youth football for Ireland and even made three friendly appearances for McCarthy’s side but chose to represent England after deliberating the decision for some time.
Speaking about the moment Rice chose to represent the Three Lions, McCarthy said: ‘I just knew – the longer it goes on this is not happening. So when it finally did happen I had a bit of a snarl at him down the phone and very abrupt I was.
‘It wasn’t, ‘Oh, thanks for letting me know good luck with that, I hope it goes well for you.’ It was the opposite of that.’
Mick McCarthy was speaking on Paddy Power’s ‘From The Horse’s Mouth’ podcast.
