The story that refuses to die. Saipan persists beyond any other controversy in Irish sport. Its legacy is never-ending. On the day of the apocalypse, there will still be at least two individuals debating whether he was left or was sent home.
Last night Mick McCarthy appeared on Off The Ball as he announced his new role as a pundit with Virgin Media. During an all-encompassing interview, it was inevitable that the controversy of the Roy Keane fall-out would come up and it did.
McCarthy was asked about the ongoing Jon Walters incident. Walters was reported to have clashed with Irish assistant manager Roy Keane recently with Keane rumoured to be frustrated by the amount of time the striker was spending on the treatment table.
McCarthy elected to reference his own experience as a manager in response.
You never accuse a player of feigning injury, do you?
Molloy: No. That is a loaded comment to make...
McCarthy: Or do you have the right to do it, I don't know.
Molloy: Are you saying you didn't?
McCarthy: I'm not saying anything I did.
It comes after Keane recently reaffirmed the accusation that he was accused of faking injury while preparing for the 2002 World Cup. Keane told ITV Sport that was accused of feigning injury and when that happens "you are going to get fireworks."
What made me angry and disappointed is when you get accused of something by your manager in front of a group of players, you're going to react. I reacted.
As a senior player and captain, I felt they were lies. I was accused of faking an injury and not being available for a match when I was injured.
