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THE PRODUCERS OF the film based on the tumultuous 2002 training camp in Saipan have released the first image of what Steve Coogan and Éanna Hartwicke as Mick McCarthy and Roy Keane.
The feud in Saipan was between Keane and McCarthy and led to the captain being sent home from the World Cup training camp, an incident that, though more than 20 years old, still looms large in the Irish consciousness.
Production companies Wildcard and Bankside Films have drawn on accounts and information from different sources to create a re-creation as accurate as possible.
Speaking to The Journal after Coogan and Hartwicke were cast as McCarthy and Keane, producer Macdara Kelleher said the team were seeking to tell both, or all, sides of the tale.
“Getting it right, there’s a lot in it. When you’re dealing with something based on real events or real people, it takes a bit more time to get it right, it’s a bit more nuanced,” the producer said.
He added that the film is “definitely more of a two-hander between the Roy and Mick story” but there is also a “cast of characters that features in the story as well – Niall Quinn, Steven Reid, Steve Staunton, Jason McAteer – all those guys, they’re all there.”
‘Saipan’ is set for a theatrical release in summer 2025.
Elsewhere, Coogan is set to appear in the new stage adaptation of Dr Strangelove, coming to Dublin’s Bord Gáis Theatre in February.
Coogan juggles four major roles in the play which takes Stanley Kubrick’s classic Cold War satire about nuclear annihilation to theatre. Sean Foley and Armando Iannucci – co-adaptors of the play – spoke to The Journal in London.
Includes reporting by Lauren Boland and Daragh Brophy.
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Always thought McCarthy got an easy time over this. He had an ego and attitude problem, aswell as a grievance against Keane. I know Keane was just as bad, but McCarthy sent him home, yet Keane gets pilloried over it and McCarthy never had to answer for his actions.
@Fergus Peter Smyth: Keane was the leader D!ck McC wasn’t. He got thrown under the bus 100% for speaking up and showing the FAI to be the clowns they were. He wasn’t just as bad, he was 100% on point as captain, but in reality a leader and defacto manager ’cause D!ck was being a yes man.
@Fergus Peter Smyth: ahhh stop..ego and attitude problem.. ? Where you getting this stuff from ? Lol. It all started in the US in 94, when as Captain MM gave keane a bollocking for being late for the bus.. a hung over Keane.. the same bollocking Keane would dish out many times to others when he matured, became a captain and left the sauce behind. Problem is Roy didn’t and still doesn’t know how to let things go.. he harbours a grudge like no other.. MM copped plenty of flack..you must have been out of the country at the time..
@Brian: What are you talking about. Mick McCarthy retired from international football in 1992 so he wasn’t even in our 1994 cup squad let alone captain it. Andy Townsend was our captain for the World cup.
@Brian: Mick accused Roy of feigning an injury ffs. Mick was the manager, he was the boss, he was unable to manage the team and players. End off. A good manager would take the hit himself, whether in the wrong or not, to ensure his best players were on the pitch, instead Mick tried to protect his employers, the FAI.
Basics like footballs and a proper pitch are a necessity, not a luxury. And speaking of luxury that was the time all the FAI people travelled first class while the team was in the back of the bus.
@Michale Kane: a lot of you clowns have no idea what you are banging on about here or what went on.
@Ger Whelan: yes Ger, well done, it was on a tour of North America, probably in 1992 when the Euros were on. No need to be rude though, right?
@Ger Whelan: You’re right,he was Captain in Italia 90.. and veteran of two major tournaments.. and had every right to read him the riot act. Regarding the incident at USA 1994 he said: ’Me and Mick, we had a falling out in America again, we said a few things to each other.
‘Listen, I was out of order I was out drinking but I was drinking with loads of other lads. We’d been drinking and I was late for the bus…Jack Charlton was having a go at me, Jack’s the manager but I didn’t want a player having a go at me who’s never spoke to me.
‘If Packie Bonner or David O’Leary, who probably helped me, were saying it I would sayI would take that, but not from somebody who never spoke a word to me – and he was shouting at me in front of everybody. So that would have been the start of it.’
@Kevin Kerr: I stand corrected.. 92 it was. The incident still happened and its pretty irrelevant as to when.. as it was the start of their spat. Which keane never let go of..
@Brian: And wtf has that got to do with managing the Ireland Team ?
With all your knowledge tell me when Roy was the manager of Ireland ? When did he chose an unsuitable football pitch for Ireland and when did he ever in history forgot a few footballs ?
@Buster Lawless: it went on.. in his own words.. 92 or 94 is pretty irrelevant .. you saying Roy hasn’t a clue what went on ???
@Brian: yep, absolutely
@Michale Kane: its got more to do with it that ur little rant.. the comment I replied to said MM had an attitude problem and ego and a vendetta against Keane.. ( which is BS anyway.. he led his country in an exemplary manner ) to which I pointed out it all started in the US ( incorrectly 94, in fact 92 ) you can read his own words.. thats where it started.. and Keane is well known for holding a grudge.. he still waffles on in his road shows about Jon Walters.. these are just facts .. sorry they don’t stack up with your eulogisng of Keane.
@Kevin Kerr: Aww at you again getting butt hurt when I correct someone.
@Brian: not the point Brian,.you are waffling on without the basic true facts.. FACT
@Buster Lawless: LOL.. those are his words.. fact.. I stood corrected on the 94 / 92 issue.. no problem admitting an error when I make one.. unlike some. I don’t see what your problem is..In the man’s own words that’s where it all started. What ‘basic true facts’ are you waffling on about ‘ buster ‘ ?
@Brian: Is this now a game of my ‘rant’ is better than your ‘rant’ lol..
Easy to ‘eulogise’ (using your words) Keane in sporting terms, he’s won a couple of premier league and championship league medals in his day, even captained a few wining teams in his day.. quite a lot more than Mick and a ‘ell a lot more than you.
@Michale Kane: Get a grip man will ya.. I replied to some lad saying MM had an ego and attitude problem! Lol. A man that captained his country to the 1/4 finals of a WC.. he certainly didn’t have an ‘ ego or an attitude ‘ problem .. he gave excellent service to our country… easy to over look in all this bs. and regarding the vendetta the poster went on about, I merely pointed to where it all started.. You’re not trying to tell me Keane doesn’t hold a grudge are you… lol
@Brian: Everyone holds a grudge. Strange you seem to be so certain what goes on in other people’s lives.. also strange you don’t to seem to know what goes on in teams, they fight, argue all the time, there’s rivalry and sometimes even hatred. There every flavour of personalities and characters. The Managers job is to mange all that, clue is even in the name ‘manager’.
MM was and is unable to do that part of the job. It’s also the part of a ‘Manager’s’ job that Roy is unable to do, but for very different reasons. Roy is no politician, whether for better or worse, is unable to say other than what he genuinely thinks and believes all the time. I personally respect people like that, whether I agree with them or not, or think they a ‘nice’ person or not.
@Brian: Now good evening sir, I’m off, better half has convinced me of a better use of me time lol.
@Michale Kane: do one dumbo clown. Learn some history while you are away.
Next can we make one of Henry’s handball.We like to live in the past !!
@Quinny: Ah twas a piece of brilliance as sweet as Maradonna’s in fact sweeter he actually handled it ,nay caressed it twice unseen ,some skill ,and if we are going to laugh at our neighbours forever as I do every time I see the lil man out jump Shilton we must swallow this one and forgive Monsieur Henry.
Not a brain cell between them
@Quinny: who’s we? The two English production companies making the film? Do you work for them or something?
The Irish film industry must be struggling. It’s been 22 years let it go
@Ger Whelan: have you looked at ‘that’ other article ? Mad why now so many comments removed?
@Ger Whelan: Best time to do it, so it can be objective. I’m not saying it will be a good film but it’s a savage story and Coogan usually comes up with good stuff.
@Michale Kane: sorry my bad, app auto updated and now have a weird method for viewing comments section…. Plus can’t take a pdf now either.. but the blue indicator of liked comments still not fixed.. funny it seems lately after every update functionality gets worse or same glitches exist while add-annoyance increases exponentially lol.
@Ger Whelan: Yeah, it’s really silly to make films about things that happened in the past, right?
Is there anything Steve Coogan cannot do ?
Alan Partridge remains his finest creation .
I love Steve Coogan, and would like to think that he has high standards when it comes to the work that he takes on, so this could be great
looks brutal
@qffaffaf affrafrfraf: yep, doesn’t sound like a contender for an Oscar
@Frank Mc Carthy: Imagine if Coogan got an oscar for playing Mick McCarthy. Lol.
Too soon.
Really looking forward to this, it should break irish box office records. Casting not right though, should have had Colin Farrell playing Roy and Cillian Murphy as mick. Would have been brilliant then and won Oscars I’m sure.
@Buster Lawless: Farrell would make a good Keano in fairness.
@Louis Jacob: yes indeed. I called it here last year, they should have listened.
I will NOt. Be watching
@D Tru: you should support the Irish film industry
@Buster Lawless: I’d say it has a minority share in this venture.
Glad to see the debate hasn’t died down after 22 years!!!
It was boring then, give it up lads.
Ridiculous
Wildcard and Bankside are extremely good; Coogan’s great, look forward to seeing it.
Don’t be to hard on Fergus.
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