Mick McCarthy has launched a blistering attack on the film ‘Saipan’ after walking out just 20 minutes into the screening. The former Republic of Ireland manager, speaking at an Irish Sun live event, dismissed the movie as a “heap of s**t” and criticised its portrayal of him as an “easy-going, northern numpty”.
The film, released to positive reviews earlier this year, depicts the infamous fallout between McCarthy and Roy Keane before the 2002 World Cup. While performances by Steve Coogan (McCarthy) and Éanna Hardwicke (Keane) were praised, many involved in the camp have objected to the artistic liberties taken.
McCarthy took particular issue with the height discrepancy, noting that Coogan is 5ft 8in while Keane is depicted as towering over him. He also refuted claims that he coached Coogan for the role, insisting he only spoke to the actor about what happened. “If Roy wants to speak to him about that… but I don’t think he ever did,” McCarthy added.
He further questioned the film’s accuracy, stating: “It depicts me as an easy-going, northern numpty who was there for a f*****g good time and not to win, and I wasn’t competitive. If anyone wants to come and f*****g tell me that, I’ll have a fight with him on the f*****g stage.”
When asked about a proper documentary, McCarthy revealed that plans had been mooted but never materialised. “What’s it been, 24 years? And I still keep getting asked about it,” he lamented, before taking a final dig at his nemesis, jokingly confusing Roy Keane with Robbie Keane in a Q&A.
