Joined
·
520 Posts
Keane kicked out of Irish World Cup squad: reports
LONDON, May 23 (AFP) - Ireland captain Roy Keane was sensationally kicked out of the World Cup on Thursday following a scathing attack on his country's preparations for the tournament.
Keane left Ireland's training camp on Saipan island in the Pacific late Thursday and was flying back to Europe, Football Association of Irelandofficial John Byrne confirmed.
Ireland manager Mick McCarthy said he had been left with no choice but to send Keane home after a clear-the-air meeting with the player degenerated into a slanging match.
"I cannot and will not tolerate being spoken to with that level of abuse being thrown at me so I sent him home," McCarthy was quoted as saying.
"I have made the right decision not only for the benefit of me but for the squad. We will move on and be all right because we are collectively strong.
"We all know his ability but when he makes a public and open show of his opinions and makes such public criticism everybody starts talking about it."
Keane had plunged the Irish squad into turmoil this week when he said he planned to go home only to reverse his decision hours later. Mystery surrounded the exact reasons for Keane's walkout and U-turn.
But Keane made his reasons plain in a sensational interview with the Irish Times published Thursday where he announced his retirement from international football.
"I've come over here to do well and I want people around me to want to do well," Keane said.
"If I feel we're not all wanting the same things, there's no point. It's been going on a while," the 30-year-old added, explaining his decision to quit after the World Cup.
"It's the whole fact of being away. Maybe I should be okay with it, but enough is enough.
"I'm banging my head against a brick wall regarding certain issues about this trip. From the training facilities to all sorts. This trip is the tip of the iceberg.
"You've seen the training pitch and I'm not being a primadonna. Training pitch, travel arrangements, getting through the bloody airport when we were leaving, it's the combination of things.
"I would never say 'that's the reason or this is the reason', but enough is enough," Keane added.
Keane was unhappy about the long-haul flight to Saipan, commenting: "It's different if we came here to a top training facility. The hotel is fine, but we've come here to work. You wonder why players get injured? Well, playing on a surface like that.
"I can't imagine any other country, countries in the world who are far worse off than us, playing on something like that. I don't think it's too much to ask, just for a pitch that's even watered. It's so dangerous. It's rock hard.
"One or two of the lads have picked up injuries. I'm amazed there hasn't been more but give it time. But you know, we're the Irish team, it's a laugh and a joke. We shouldn't expect too much."
Keane said in the newspaper that the final straw had been when no goalkeepers were involved in an end-of-training five-a-side game at Saipan earlier this week.
"Ask any player, any footballer, anyone in the world, anybody - at the end of training you need a little game," he told the Irish Times.
"Their attitude was that the keepers were tired. I completely disagreed with them. Tired? Well, is that not why we are here? Explain that one to me.
"We've done here, three hours' work since Nigeria last Thursday. I know it's a relaxation but we could be in for a big shock next Saturday against Cameroon."
The disagreement over goalkeepers ended in a row involving Keane and goalkeeping coach Packie Bonner as well as goalkeeper Alan Kelly.
"Packie said they'd worked hard. Alan said they'd worked hard. I said 'do ye want a pat on the back for working hard - is that not why you are here?' I did mention that they wouldn't be too tired to play golf the next day, and fair play, they dragged themselves out!
"That was my stance and Kells took his stance. Few words, but I've had arguments like that hundreds of times."
LONDON, May 23 (AFP) - Ireland captain Roy Keane was sensationally kicked out of the World Cup on Thursday following a scathing attack on his country's preparations for the tournament.
Keane left Ireland's training camp on Saipan island in the Pacific late Thursday and was flying back to Europe, Football Association of Irelandofficial John Byrne confirmed.
Ireland manager Mick McCarthy said he had been left with no choice but to send Keane home after a clear-the-air meeting with the player degenerated into a slanging match.
"I cannot and will not tolerate being spoken to with that level of abuse being thrown at me so I sent him home," McCarthy was quoted as saying.
"I have made the right decision not only for the benefit of me but for the squad. We will move on and be all right because we are collectively strong.
"We all know his ability but when he makes a public and open show of his opinions and makes such public criticism everybody starts talking about it."
Keane had plunged the Irish squad into turmoil this week when he said he planned to go home only to reverse his decision hours later. Mystery surrounded the exact reasons for Keane's walkout and U-turn.
But Keane made his reasons plain in a sensational interview with the Irish Times published Thursday where he announced his retirement from international football.
"I've come over here to do well and I want people around me to want to do well," Keane said.
"If I feel we're not all wanting the same things, there's no point. It's been going on a while," the 30-year-old added, explaining his decision to quit after the World Cup.
"It's the whole fact of being away. Maybe I should be okay with it, but enough is enough.
"I'm banging my head against a brick wall regarding certain issues about this trip. From the training facilities to all sorts. This trip is the tip of the iceberg.
"You've seen the training pitch and I'm not being a primadonna. Training pitch, travel arrangements, getting through the bloody airport when we were leaving, it's the combination of things.
"I would never say 'that's the reason or this is the reason', but enough is enough," Keane added.
Keane was unhappy about the long-haul flight to Saipan, commenting: "It's different if we came here to a top training facility. The hotel is fine, but we've come here to work. You wonder why players get injured? Well, playing on a surface like that.
"I can't imagine any other country, countries in the world who are far worse off than us, playing on something like that. I don't think it's too much to ask, just for a pitch that's even watered. It's so dangerous. It's rock hard.
"One or two of the lads have picked up injuries. I'm amazed there hasn't been more but give it time. But you know, we're the Irish team, it's a laugh and a joke. We shouldn't expect too much."
Keane said in the newspaper that the final straw had been when no goalkeepers were involved in an end-of-training five-a-side game at Saipan earlier this week.
"Ask any player, any footballer, anyone in the world, anybody - at the end of training you need a little game," he told the Irish Times.
"Their attitude was that the keepers were tired. I completely disagreed with them. Tired? Well, is that not why we are here? Explain that one to me.
"We've done here, three hours' work since Nigeria last Thursday. I know it's a relaxation but we could be in for a big shock next Saturday against Cameroon."
The disagreement over goalkeepers ended in a row involving Keane and goalkeeping coach Packie Bonner as well as goalkeeper Alan Kelly.
"Packie said they'd worked hard. Alan said they'd worked hard. I said 'do ye want a pat on the back for working hard - is that not why you are here?' I did mention that they wouldn't be too tired to play golf the next day, and fair play, they dragged themselves out!
"That was my stance and Kells took his stance. Few words, but I've had arguments like that hundreds of times."
