Twenty three years ago, on a remote Pacific island, Irish football imploded. No shots were fired. No lives were lost. But in the humid air of Saipan, a volcanic confrontation between Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy sparked a civil war that still divides Irish sports fans today. It's a story that proves the biggest battles in sports often happen far from any field of play.
Picture this: It's 2002, and Ireland's national team has just landed in Saipan for their World Cup preparations. The country buzzes with hope. This is their strongest squad in years, led by Roy Keane, the Manchester United captain and arguably the best midfielder in the world. But something isn't right. Keane, notorious for his exacting standards, finds himself staring at a training pitch that resembles a potato field. The team's gear arrives late. The facilities are subpar. For a man who'd built his career on ruthless professionalism, it's death by a thousand cuts.
What happens next depends entirely on who's telling the story.
In McCarthy's version, Keane becomes increasingly difficult, his complaints creating a toxic atmosphere that threatens team unity. In Keane's telling, he's fighting against the "that'll do" mentality that's held Irish football back for decades. Both men, trapped in their convictions, set course for an inevitable collision. The confrontation, when it comes, is nuclear. In a team meeting that's entered Irish folklore, Keane unleashes a tirade against McCarthy that ends with him being sent home. Ireland loses its best player before the tournament begins, and the nation splits into warring camps.
But this was never just about football.
The Saipan incident touched a nerve in the Irish psyche, becoming a proxy war for deeper cultural tensions. On one side stood the traditional Irish values of loyalty, team spirit, and making the best of things. On the other, a new Ireland: professional, uncompromising, unwilling to accept second best.
As Payton Winns explores in his new book "Ireland's Breaking Point," the fallout transcended sports. It became a national conversation about identity, standards, and what it means to be Irish in the modern world. In pubs across the country, families and friends chose sides. Team Roy or Team Mick. There was no middle ground.
History would later suggest Keane had a point. The 2002 Genesis Report revealed deep-rooted problems in Irish football administration, vindicating many of his criticisms. But was he right to abandon his team on the eve of their biggest tournament? That debate still rages.
Now, with Steve Coogan set to portray McCarthy in an upcoming film, a new generation will discover this extraordinary tale. They'll learn how a training pitch on a Pacific island became ground zero for Irish football's civil war. They'll see how personality clashes can expose fault lines running deep through a nation's soul.
Sports can mirror society's broader struggles, as demonstrated by the Saipan incident. It's about the tension between tradition and progress, loyalty and principle, the collective and the individual. In that sense, it's not just an Irish story—it's a human one.
Twenty years on, the wounds have mostly healed. But mention Saipan in any Irish pub, and you'll still start an argument. Some argue that it ruined Ireland's chance to win the World Cup. Others argue that it served as the necessary awakening for Irish football. Perhaps that's why the story endures. Like all great sporting dramas, it's not really about the sport at all. It's about us our values, our conflicts, and the price we're willing to pay for our principles.
And somewhere on a small Pacific island, a patch of grass still whispers of the day Irish football changed forever.
Picture this: It's 2002, and Ireland's national team has just landed in Saipan for their World Cup preparations. The country buzzes with hope. This is their strongest squad in years, led by Roy Keane, the Manchester United captain and arguably the best midfielder in the world. But something isn't right. Keane, notorious for his exacting standards, finds himself staring at a training pitch that resembles a potato field. The team's gear arrives late. The facilities are subpar. For a man who'd built his career on ruthless professionalism, it's death by a thousand cuts.
But this was never just about football.
The Saipan incident touched a nerve in the Irish psyche, becoming a proxy war for deeper cultural tensions. On one side stood the traditional Irish values of loyalty, team spirit, and making the best of things. On the other, a new Ireland: professional, uncompromising, unwilling to accept second best.
As Payton Winns explores in his new book "Ireland's Breaking Point," the fallout transcended sports. It became a national conversation about identity, standards, and what it means to be Irish in the modern world. In pubs across the country, families and friends chose sides. Team Roy or Team Mick. There was no middle ground.
History would later suggest Keane had a point. The 2002 Genesis Report revealed deep-rooted problems in Irish football administration, vindicating many of his criticisms. But was he right to abandon his team on the eve of their biggest tournament? That debate still rages.
Now, with Steve Coogan set to portray McCarthy in an upcoming film, a new generation will discover this extraordinary tale. They'll learn how a training pitch on a Pacific island became ground zero for Irish football's civil war. They'll see how personality clashes can expose fault lines running deep through a nation's soul.
Sports can mirror society's broader struggles, as demonstrated by the Saipan incident. It's about the tension between tradition and progress, loyalty and principle, the collective and the individual. In that sense, it's not just an Irish story—it's a human one.
Twenty years on, the wounds have mostly healed. But mention Saipan in any Irish pub, and you'll still start an argument. Some argue that it ruined Ireland's chance to win the World Cup. Others argue that it served as the necessary awakening for Irish football. Perhaps that's why the story endures. Like all great sporting dramas, it's not really about the sport at all. It's about us our values, our conflicts, and the price we're willing to pay for our principles.
And somewhere on a small Pacific island, a patch of grass still whispers of the day Irish football changed forever.
The story of Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy's explosive falling out is set to hit the big screen twenty-three years after the incident that split Irish football in two. The upcoming film "Saipan," directed by Glenn Leyburn and Lisa Barros D'Sa, promises to dramatise one of sports' most fascinating conflicts: the moment Ireland's captain walked away from the World Cup.
Steve Coogan, known for his sharp character work, steps into the role of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy, while rising star Éanna Hardwicke takes on the challenging task of portraying the fierce and principled Roy Keane. First-look photos from the production reveal an uncanny transformation, as both actors capture the essence of these iconic football personalities.
The film centres on the notorious events of May 2002, when the Irish national team was preparing for the World Cup at their training camp in Saipan. What began as a training camp dispute escalated into a public quarrel that saw Ireland's captain dramatically sent home from the World Cup, creating a rift that would divide public opinion across the country.
Production began in Belfast in August 2024, with additional filming taking place in Dublin. The attention to detail extends to even the smallest roles, including Misty the Labrador, who plays Keane's famous dog, Triggs. The cast has been rounded out with talented performers, including Jack Hickey as Niall Quinn and Harriet Cains as Theresa Keane.
Wildcard and Vertigo Releasing have secured the U.K. and Ireland distribution rights, with a theatrical release planned for 2025. The film is produced by Wild Atlantic Pictures and Fine Point Films, with support from Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland and Northern Ireland Screen.
The screenplay, penned by Paul Fraser, will tackle the complex dynamics that led to the confrontation. The incident, which featured the team's most successful player clashing with management over what he perceived as inadequate World Cup preparations, remains one of Irish football's most controversial moments.
For Irish football fans, the Saipan incident represents more than just a disagreement it's a moment that forced the nation to choose sides between two strong personalities, each believing they were fighting for the soul of Irish football. Now, more than two decades later, this film promises to examine the human drama behind the headlines, exploring the clash of principles, personalities, and pride that led to one of sports' most memorable meltdowns.
The timing of the film's release in 2025 feels particularly poignant, allowing enough distance for reflection while ensuring the wounds are still fresh enough to resonate. As Irish football continues to evolve, "Saipan" stands as a reminder of how passion for the beautiful game can both unite and divide a nation.
Books relating to The Saipan Incident are on sale on this website
Steve Coogan, known for his sharp character work, steps into the role of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy, while rising star Éanna Hardwicke takes on the challenging task of portraying the fierce and principled Roy Keane. First-look photos from the production reveal an uncanny transformation, as both actors capture the essence of these iconic football personalities.The film centres on the notorious events of May 2002, when the Irish national team was preparing for the World Cup at their training camp in Saipan. What began as a training camp dispute escalated into a public quarrel that saw Ireland's captain dramatically sent home from the World Cup, creating a rift that would divide public opinion across the country.
Production began in Belfast in August 2024, with additional filming taking place in Dublin. The attention to detail extends to even the smallest roles, including Misty the Labrador, who plays Keane's famous dog, Triggs. The cast has been rounded out with talented performers, including Jack Hickey as Niall Quinn and Harriet Cains as Theresa Keane.
Wildcard and Vertigo Releasing have secured the U.K. and Ireland distribution rights, with a theatrical release planned for 2025. The film is produced by Wild Atlantic Pictures and Fine Point Films, with support from Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland and Northern Ireland Screen. The screenplay, penned by Paul Fraser, will tackle the complex dynamics that led to the confrontation. The incident, which featured the team's most successful player clashing with management over what he perceived as inadequate World Cup preparations, remains one of Irish football's most controversial moments.
For Irish football fans, the Saipan incident represents more than just a disagreement it's a moment that forced the nation to choose sides between two strong personalities, each believing they were fighting for the soul of Irish football. Now, more than two decades later, this film promises to examine the human drama behind the headlines, exploring the clash of principles, personalities, and pride that led to one of sports' most memorable meltdowns.
The timing of the film's release in 2025 feels particularly poignant, allowing enough distance for reflection while ensuring the wounds are still fresh enough to resonate. As Irish football continues to evolve, "Saipan" stands as a reminder of how passion for the beautiful game can both unite and divide a nation.
