Wednesday 3rd February 2016 at 5pm – You Can Stick Your World Cup
How many years since ‘Saipan’? Five? Six? Seven? Why would you mention that one word to Irish people this year?
Because it’s 10 years since the whole Saipan saga. It was just before the World Cup of 2002 that Roy and Mick had their row on the Pacific island of Saipan.
A row that burst from the dressing room onto the front pages all over the world. Roy Keane, Irish team captain and one of the world’s greatest footballers at that time, departs the World Cup before a ball has been kicked. He left behind an Irish team who managed to get within a whisker of making the quarter finals – only to lose Spain on penalties.
Would Roy have made the difference? We’ll never know…
Say the one word ‘Saipan’ to any Irish person back then and you’d get back a torrent: “Roy Keane was dead right…he was a traitor to his country…there was nothing else Mick McCarthy could’ve done. Mick was a b*****ks”
Say the one word ‘Saipan’ to any Irish person now – and you’ll still get the same response.
Walk down any street in Ireland you’ll still find people talking about it – and that’s just what this documentary does – talks to Irish people about the row and what it meant to them.
As in 2002, the discussion quickly moves from football to the broader issue: respect for your elders. Is the boss always right? Should they ever be questioned? Young people! No respect any more!
Are the Irish still going on about Saipan ten years on?
(First broadcast 2012)