Saipan - Who was right?

If it was purely down to Mick accusing him of injury then why had he already walked out earlier that week only for Mick Byrne to persuade him to stay? This narrative off all being fine until the despicable manager dared suggest that a man who played for his club a few days after being too 'injured' to travel to Iran and who had regularly skipped Ireland games without even notifying the manager on occasion might have faked it has been peddled by the Keane set up since Dunphy's book and probably before. He probably believes it himself by now. It's not factual though. It's up there with the other myth that Saipan was a training camp rather than a rest and recreation stop. The training facilities in Japan were top class. And the myth that there were no balls or training gear. DHL mislaid 2 skips of official gear which were late arriving. But there was other gear there that was available.

I spoke to players over there about it. Their opinion was Roy just didn't want to be there. I've always thought that if Man U had won something that season Roy would have been more content and got on with it. The fact that they'd lost the CL semi to a club he didn't consider a big club and had seen Arsenal do the double was eating at him. He's admitted that the culture at Man U was driving him mad since the treble year and he couldn't handle the laid back attitude at Ireland despite the fact it worked for the rest of the squad. So engineered an exit.

IS it mick ? No

Is it Saipan? no 

Is it the team no ?

Then what is it roy ?

It’s me me me 

For whatever reasons he just didn’t want to be there . 

Sadly for Keane it was him that missed out on a work cup . The rest got on with it . 

 

The 4-2 loss to Russia and the 2-1 loss to Switzerland got him the sack.

It was well known that Roy and Mick barely spoke (the handshake after beating Holland) and Keane would communicate with Mick Byrne the physio.

 

The time he didn't 'turn up' for the US Cup in 96 he rang the FAI but someone forgot to pass on the message, this is the FAI we're talking about.

 

Leaving FAI incompetence aside, he should have turned up as captain of the team full stop. 

I find it hard to stomach that whole 'wrong on both sides/ 50/50 blame' when Keane had a record as long as your arm of indiscipline and contempt towards the Irish national team set up, previous manager prior to Saipan. 

I would take the word of the supporters from here that were out in Japan and got it from the horses mouth (players themselves) as to who was in the wrong and  who simply didn't want to be there. 

You'll have to ask the D69er and GF as I wasn't there but I would believe what they're saying is true.