\n<\/p>\n
Keane, who won seven Premier League titles during a 12-year stint at United under Sir Alex Ferguson, was unhappy about the training facilities in Saipan.<\/p>\n
In May 2002, having threatened to exit the team once, he told the Irish Times that the pitches were “rock hard”.<\/p>\n
“I can’t imagine any other countries in the world who are far worse off than us, playing on something like that,” Keane said.<\/p>\n
He said he was not being a “prima donna” and called the facilities “dangerous”.<\/p>\n
Days later, during a team meeting, McCarthy demanded an apology from his captain in front of the squad.<\/p>\n
“I think Mick’s intention was to drop it on Roy in public,” Kiely said.<\/p>\n
“I don’t know whether he wanted to embarrass him.”<\/p>\n
Either way, the famously combative midfielder responded to McCarthy’s interrogation with a lengthy tirade. Legend has it that Keane told McCarthy “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” before storming out and quitting the team.<\/p>\n
Kiely said the silence following his departure felt like “an eternity”.<\/p>\n
The then Charlton keeper said he tried to break the tension with a joke, saying: “I can play in the middle of the park if you need, Mick.”<\/p>\n
In the absence of their best player, the Republic of Ireland, who shared a group with Germany, Saudi Arabia and Cameroon, reached the last 16 of the tournament, where they were narrowly beaten on penalties by Spain.<\/p>\n
Keane would not resume international duty until after McCarthy had departed from his first spell in charge of the national side.<\/p>\n
The Republic of Ireland have not reached a World Cup since.<\/p>\n
Kiely said the side could have gone further in the competition had Keane not exited.<\/p>\n
“We would have been much better set with him playing in the middle of the team,” he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n