Keane on Saipan: 'I should have said I'm not playing for you, I'm playing for my country'

Saipan is an infamous chapter in Irish football history, and it still divides opinion to this day.

Roy Keane was among the world's best midfielders at the time, but his fallout with Mick McCarthy meant he did not take part in the 2002 World Cup.

The nation was split into 'team McCarthy' and 'team Keane'.

Ireland reached the last-16, before a narrow penalty shootout loss to Spain, and some fans still take part in pub debates on how far the team would have progressed had the Manchester United man not been at home in Cork.

It's been rehashed so often that yawns normally ensue at the mention of the remote island, while both McCarthy and Keane have had their say.

However, when the Corkman discusses it, it's always interesting.

Keane was asked about his Ireland career on the Stick to Football podcast, and had plenty to say.

He appears on the show with former teammate Gary Neville, Ian Wright, Jamie Carragher and Jill Scott.

It's well-known that the clash in Saipan erupted over a lack of preparation from the FAI, and Keane elaborated on this.

"I still can't get my head around how a team that qualified months in advance... if that happened with England, France, Germany, and you turned up and there's no gear there, no footballs, you'd be a laughing stock.

"For some reason with Ireland it was 'ah well'. I'd just had enough. I went 'no, no'. I had my little debate with Mick over there. I said 'Mick, this is unacceptable'. It was all very calm."

He went on to discuss the team meeting where the row erupted in front of the Ireland squad.

"The issue was when there was a meeting called a couple of days later, and I was questioned about missing the play-off game. Basically he said 'you could have played in that game'... I was injured!