Shove it up your bollocks: Roy Keane’s Saipan meltdown

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0:57Turn it up. Storm has zero sugar and 200 milligrams of caffeine, so you can turn that workout up a notch. Good energy in, good energy out. Energy for life. In the summer of 2002, Ireland was a special place to be. The Celtic tiger was roaring. Westlife had just chalked up their 10th number one and a star-studded squad set sail on a Far Eastern adventure. But as World Cup fever sweeps the nation, one man refuses to play ball. Captain Roy Keane. From screaming in the dressing room to pre-match benders, this is the story of Roy's meltdown in the Pacific. Welcome back to The Up Shop. My name is Jack.

1:44Zach is here as ever. Hello, Jack. and we are delighted to welcome our guest, Mike Rice. Yes, brother. Welcome. This has been one on the wish list for a long, long time. And for me as well, lad. Yeah, I'm buzzing. Great to hear. So I guess people will be familiar with you a lot. Our listeners will be familiar from your comedy online. They'd fucking better be. At Mike Rice Comedy. Yes. Is the account where on Insta, TikTok, everywhere. Where the magic, where the truth is told. Where the truth is told. So yeah, so this is, I mean, for people who aren't familiar, who've lived under a rock for two decades.

2:17This is the moment that Ireland's World Cup campaign was ripped apart by a huge bust-up with Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy on either side. Basically, they got to this training camp that they'd booked in Saipan. So basically, they were going to go there, kind of relax, train, get ready for the World Cup. Now, here's the kind of issue with Irish football in general at that time, and Ireland. is this kind of idea of like kind of glad to be here thing. We're here. The Irish, we're having a laugh. Come on, we'll go. We'll have a few pints and we'll relax a bit. And the whole FAI, you know, the Irish Football Association, they're all over.

2:59They're getting fucking pissed in the sun. Ha ha, nice one. And sure we'll kick a few balls and everything. But then amongst this pack is one of the most competitive of serial winners that's ever lived who wants to win the World Cup Roy Keane he wants to win it he's possibly the greatest captain in the history of football I think many people would agree with that also a seriously good team that year yeah listen that was the thing and I mean what's crazy now is in retrospect most Irish people are like we could have won the World Cup we could have won it and you're kind of like you think we're beating Rivaldo, Ronaldinho and Ronaldo Although I don't know.

3:41Could have been in the semis. We'll get to the campaign. We could have been in the semis, but we had a good team. We had Damien Duff at his best. The best he's ever been. We had a young Robbie Keane. Fucking never trust a striker. Lethal, right? We had Ian Hart, free kick specialist. We had Steve Finnan. We were solid. We were solid at the back. Steve Staunton, Kenny Cunningham. It was a good team. And then we had the fucking greatest captain in the history, in the history of the world. greatest leader since Genghis Khan a lot in common actually a lot in common yeah we won't go deep we won't delve too deep into that um does everyone in Ireland in 100 years time is going to be distantly related to Roy Keane 100 % at least 6 degrees removed I tell you one thing he did stir up something animalistic in the lines of Irish women right for sure really oh yeah he's a good looking guy actually in a quite scary way yeah yeah I'm trying to use a phrase that isn't horrible here, but like sort of cash that in much.

4:44No, no, he didn't cash it in much. No, he wasn't like a cocksman. He's a family man. You know what I mean? Yeah. You know what I mean? I've heard that before. He didn't have an Achilles cock. Bit of scene setter as well about 2002. Yeah. Remember where you were? Remember what the hits were? So I was looking at the charts. Yeah. So the two big hits in May 2002, which is when they go to Saipan, are Kiss Kiss by Holly Valance. Do you remember that? I do. I remember it, brother. Absolute banger. I think I came online sexually that video I don't know if you remember because she was naked but there were like lights there were strobe lights over her bits and it really I mean it got everyone in and online you could pause I feel I saw had an ability to pause at some point or maybe I was looking at stills anyway sorry just going down going down a hole there that's number one Eminem's without me oh sick it's sort of fitting for what happens for Roy Keane actually a bit of an anthem yeah meanwhile Ireland's just got the Euro that year January that year so again feels like a big transition in yes vibes although not all good news for Ireland because obviously the nation is in mourning for the Queen Mother who right that hit us hard yeah that was one of your favourite royals that's right I remember I had apple tart and custard I was like I can't eat I just not today not today not this year no yeah so you know tough place but we all remember that year and yeah Irish football's in a good place yeah so yeah previous decades had been like you said it's a bit of a golden era for Irish football when it came to World Cups at least they qualified in 1990 94 yeah did well both times did well both times bet Italy fucking Ray Houghton's chip that he didn't really mean but he kicked it and it went over the head and went in 1990 I mean like just captured the imagination of the country in a way that like that's still talked about like we had a population boom the next year people were shagging like rabbits was Jack Charlton was pretty ramshackle under him.

6:42Yeah. He's quite a laid-back fellow, isn't he? Yeah. He was very tolerant of the old boozing as well. They'd be like going out. There was an interview we got, actually, of Roy Keane talking about the drinking culture when they came to Ireland camps. Yeah. That was pretty well. Yeah. We used to turn up with Ireland on a Sunday night and we'd have an international qualifying for the World Cup on a Wednesday. So we'd get into Sunday night, Jack and all this. And I was on a young player. And the senior players, and I'm on about Paul McGrath, kevin moore and andy towns and all this and i'd be sitting there going jack can we go tonight jack or look lads big game on wednesday you know can we just go all right lads try and be back for about midnight midnight we're playing on wednesday well jack and i'd be sitting there going yeah i'll go for a few pints but this is all six o 'clock you're six always drinking jack 12 is a bit awkward you know you know if you're out of 12 in dublin any chance you're two o 'clock lads two o 'clock back for two o 'clock that's it but jack you know if you're out at two you're obviously in a night club you know if you still till two that means you're not gonna you're not gonna leave a night look I'll see you in the morning for training and that was it we'd come in at 7, 8 in the morning and Jack would push training back to the afternoon because we'd sleep off the hangovers I mean it's just so funny Akeen is such a funny storyteller as well like really gets it just right to then yeah yeah I'll see you in the morning push it back Steven does work though for them he kind of respects yeah he's sort of sort of well he does and he doesn't like because in his book he kind of has a little he has a few jabs at Charlton like he got in some some little spats with him like this is this is actually the start of his him and Mick McCarty's kind of feud you will say or disliking of each other one night in the Ireland camp or wherever they were they were playing a few games himself and Steve Staunton went on the last Keno and you know their shots pints and they were meant to come back and meet everyone at the bus at like we'll say whatever 10 o 'clock and anyway they come back like 45 minutes late an hour late fucking pissed and anyway they arrive back and then Charlton is like fucking you fucking you know kept everyone waiting fish and chip gone cold you know he's like getting angry and then like apparently Roy Keane just typical Roy he's little bollocks like he's just like I never fucking asked anyone to wait I didn't ask you to wait and then like just storms onto the bus like you have to also acknowledge at times like Keane is a nightmare like you know what I mean he is a nightmare but so anyway he goes down to the back of the bus and he fucking chewing on a wasp, you know, just rocking head on him.

9:10And next thing, Mick McCarthy, who was the captain at that time, comes down to him and he's just like, you're out of line. That will proper bang out of order. And he goes, oh, you've got to fuck off, Mick. Do you know what I mean? He's such a look at shit. Because that's the start of all the animosity. Because doesn't Keane say that was the first time I'd ever spoken to Mick McCarthy because you just don't chat that much in international. I wonder if he then, when Mick McCarthy became manager, if he was then out to get Keane a little bit and just put him back in his box. He holds a grudge. Yeah, I think a little bit.

9:42I think they didn't treat Keane the way they should have treated Keane. Which is lay out the red carpet. Lay out the red carpet. You're the king. Who do you think should play? Yeah, do the Fergie Cantona thing. Just make him God. Yeah. So anyway, rewinding a little bit. So Mick McCarthy takes over 96. So Ireland have failed to qualify for the Euros under Jack Charlton. He resigns. And Mick's like a pretty new manager at this point. He'd done a few years with Millwall, player manager there initially, which is very 90s. And to begin with, they're decent, but a bit unspectacular. Now really failed to qualify for the World Cup in 98 and 2000 euros.

10:22But by the time the 2002 World Cup rose around, they're ranked 13th in the world. So yeah, it's like a really talented Irish squad. great footballers in there but they also had a pochot for partying a bit they liked the booze back on the pitch so as we said amazing qualifying campaign they finished unbeaten in a group with Portugal and the Netherlands second place Roy Keane instrumental in that and obviously the most famous game is this win over the Netherlands in Dublin which knocks the Netherlands out right they're out the World Cup that's a huge team to put out and some say it's Roy's best ever game in the green shirt Yeah, he was unbelievable for that game and the Portugal game.

11:04I mean, he rarely gave a bad performance. I mean, famously keen. But like that opening tackle, like 10 seconds in, that little shit over him. You know what I mean? Set the tone. Yeah, yeah. Running up the line. He's like, look how quick I am, keen. Bang. See you later, you little shrimp. And the whole of Lansdowne Road is like, ah! You know what I mean? Yeah. And that's iconic. Yeah. And then obviously, you know, McAteer's goal was great. Something so funny about McAteer, because you just know how thick he is. But like then you see him score the goal and you're like, you know what? He's actually, you know.

11:42Yeah. And of all the people to score, it's quite a nice. There's quite a funny story about that. McAteer said that after the game, he got a phone call from Bono. Because you two had been showing it on the big screens, they had a gig at, what's the castle called? Slain Castle. Had a gig there. They've been showing it before the game. They obviously win. McAteer scores the goal. And Bono calls him and is like, I've got a helicopter waiting to take you from Lansdowne Road. I want you to come on stage with me. And McAteer thinks it's a fucking wind up. And just goes, sorry, I'm going out drinking with John Aldridge.

12:13Says no. And then McAteer says, I watched the DVD later of this gig. And there's a moment. I mean, I've got the clip, I think. There's a moment where Bono wraps himself in an Irish flag and says, imagine Jason McAteer. and basically the plan was that McAteer would have come out at that moment which would have been amazing close your eyes and imagine it's Jason McAteer but at that moment McAteer was meant to walk on imagine McAteer watching this just with a pint John Aldridge beside him just like fuck fuck I thought it was a prank god anyway the vibes after that after that game obviously are amazing everyone's so excited but there are rumours starting to surface that Roy and Mick McCarthy don't see eye to eye we obviously mentioned that original sin that Mick committed that led to this feud but there is a picture taken after the game showing the pair of them are shaking hands but the body language isn't good they're not looking in the eye Mick's sort of leaning over making the effort and Roy's giving him a cursory he's not even looking at him apparently that picture wasn't published for nine months until after did the whole incident unfold and people realised the significance.

13:27That's right. But it comes to be like quite an iconic. This is a completely iconic pitch from Ireland. And Roy, I mean, it is just typical Roy because Roy even like talking about that game was like, you know, after everybody's hollering and hooping, he's just like, that's not my cup of tea. You know, he's just like, you know, we won the game. All right, let's focus. We haven't won any tournament yet. And you're like, Partey's just like, Roy, will you ever cop on? Yeah, just enjoy it. Give someone a hug. Pump your fist. Stop being so eternally miserable. Good God. Do you know what I mean? And Roy was like, because people forget, because we got really funny Roy now, kind of cuddly at times, tickling me, Richards, and, you know, saying baby, and we're having a laugh.

14:16We forget what an utterly miserable, Like just completely incapable of just any sort of joy this man was for 10, 15 years. So the rumors are starting to circulate among journalists. It becomes sort of a bit better known that the pair of them, Mick and Roy, don't get on. But the public have no idea. And as I said, that picture doesn't really get used. Anyway, so as you said, as Roy pointed out, they're still not through to the World Cup. Second place gets you a playoff against Iran, who, no mugs, famously. No mugs. Previous World Cup, they... And even at the time, people were like, are they developing a nuclear weapon?

14:58Exactly. Don't fuck with them. Yeah. And so you win this game in Dublin. Great. And then you've got to go to Tehran. That's right. Tough place to go. Tehran away. That is a tricky one. That's right. One of the most exotic away days imaginable, actually. Yeah. Actually, Roy can't play in the Tehran leg because he's injured. Right. So Ireland go. They just need a draw. And fortunately, they do the business. It's nil-nil. They see it out. Nervy, but got the result. So the kit man said of the moment they qualified in Iran, he said, I'd have kissed the Ayatollah and the Shah of Iran if they'd come near me that night.

15:30It was so, so special. Don't do that in Iran. That's the one thing you shouldn't do. It's a good thing they didn't come near him. It would have been a great clip, just the Ayatollah. The little kit man just trying to finger the Ayatollah. Just like, what is going on? He's like, I'm happy we won. This is how we say thanks in my gut. This is how I express my happiness. So as we said, expectations in Ireland are high, rightly so. And actually the squad record a song. This is sort of the back end of the era of team songs, isn't it? Team songs. Team song. It's so funny. Here comes the good times.

16:06This Irish team has achieved a magnificent success. It's going to be a magnificent trip. Iraq, one, Ireland, two, and Ireland on the way to the World Cup.

16:19Roy, if he acknowledged this was being happened, I mean, there'd be steam coming out of his ears. He'd be fucking... Do you think they were just... Whoever got the job of calling him up was just like, yeah, he didn't pick up. Yeah. Yeah. So I tried loads of times. Lift up, put straight back down. Roy's out. Roy's dead, I think. I don't think Roy... We're ever going to see Roy again. So they're heading off, and McCarthy decides that rather than just going straight to Japan where it's fucking hot, you're going to be jet lagged and there's going to be quite a lot of media glare there because the world's football media is there.

16:53He's like, let's acclimatize, let's go sort of three quarters of the way there. Yes. And he identifies the tiny island in the Pacific of Saipan. I love when you say identifies as if he had an atlas out and goes, we must conquer here first. In the war room. Yes. Or maybe he chucked a dart at a globe. He might as well have given what happened next. Because it sounds on paper perfect. Like I said, it's got the climate. It's a US territory. It's sort of hotels, casinos, white sand beaches. It's quite like beautiful. And it's secluded. So it kind of sounds perfect. As we'll see, that's not necessarily the right call.

17:30First of all, it's not an easy place to get to. So it's 22 hours flying, two layovers. And Roy Keane is used to, you know, Man United got their own jet. That's right. So when they fly, it's like private. And suddenly he says, I'm going to attempt an accident. The trip is a shambles from the beginning. This is where Mike walks out. Dublin airport is packed. This is my so-pan. Dublin airport is packed. You can't move. We hump a month's luggage to the main concourse. Check ourselves in. We're travelling KLM, going the scenic route via Amsterdam, Tokyo, fans, journalists, players, officials all mingling together.

18:15The package tour image comes to mind again. Amid the chaos, the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern arrives to give us a send-off. That was dog shit. That was dog shit. Too much going for the high pitch. Roy is like Cork, so you know, Cork's more like that. What I really love about that is his disgust that Bertie Ahern is lowering himself to go into the airport because again for him, that's like, it's a bit village, isn't it? It is, yeah. It's like, you know, that this is not your job. You're supposed to be running the country. You're down here making small talk with Damien Duff. I sort of get it. Yeah. Yeah, of course.

18:54If you're like, I want this to be professional. I don't want us to feel a bit like, oh, we're giving it a go. That's right. And having the fucking t-shirt coming down to like, cut the ribbon. It's just kind of like parochial kind of like. Village is a word people might use. A hundred percent just way of like, just being like, it's almost like condescending. Come on, lad. You go off on your big trip, are you? I give it a go. That's right. Well, on the flight, Roy, he's in a pretty bad mood for the reasons he's just given, but he does manage to distract himself by watching the Will Smith film about Muhammad Ali on the flight.

19:25And he actually says that this becomes a big inspiration for him in Saipan because there's this scene where Muhammad Ali turns down the draft to go to Vietnam. He refuses and goes to jail instead. And Roy's like, you know, that really inspired me. Absolute nightmare that that was one of the movies on the plane. Yeah, yeah, yeah. also normally on a plane it's like you've got to watch like 50 First Dates or some rom-com yeah who put that in Roy Keane's entertainment because he does not need more inspiration to no you need to be curating what Roy can watch you don't want to be getting Roy fired up you don't want Braveheart coming on you don't want you want him simmer down a bit of Zoolander or something get him in a silly goose mood is there a good film about someone just following orders when I can think of a few

20:09these films are all yeah yeah anyway is there a Lord of the Flies adaptation because it does get a bit like that in Southampton yeah tropical island yeah car crash ever yeah I'm trying to think of a film that would have been appropriate but just rom-coms just easy easy watching yeah or just something where someone like respects the authority of their senior and it works out really well Schindler's List yeah anyway the journalists on the flight who are sitting in economy they do notice that Roy is in a bad mood because at one point he dips out of business to go down to cattle class and abuse a couple of the journos who had, they basically, they criticised him for missing.

20:48Niall Quinn had a testimonial that year and Roy didn't play in it. That's right. Probably because he was injured. Yeah. He'd got a lot of shit for that as well. Or some shit. Yeah, he did. But like in his, in Roy's head, he just, he'd even think a testimonial is just like, what a lot of nonsense. Babies, babies. You're finished your career. Go home. Get a job Get a job Get a job Work in a bank Don't be wasting our time You know He has just such a mental Attitude about Anything Extracurricular To just The league The qualifier Do you know what I mean It's quite puritanical Isn't it It is like Cromwellian He wouldn't like that He wouldn't have thought that Presbyterian Yeah Anyway So he's down there Dishing out abuse to the journos I think he's like muttering under his breath how angry you know like the whole setup he's not happy about already already and they do after 22 hours eventually arrive in saipan they had this stopover in tokyo that won't have improved roy's mood at all and they finally arrive alongside the media at their training base and on their first day there the fia decides to host a barbecue for the players and the press which you know the idea is that it's going to sort of break the ice it's you know going to build this relationship between the players and the media roy leaves early it's not not his not his kind of vibe he's t-total as well at this point but he'd also just be like buns and burgers come on come on get get real like you're like you know what i mean it's just it's just food what could you serve at that that barbecue that he would have approved of i don't like just like just plain rice and chicken no sauce just like good fuel for the body you know get people in the right state of mind but he's just anything he's going to have a problem with people drinking Capri Suns give me a break you know what I mean he's just disgusted by you know yeah he'd definitely not approve of what happened next as well because Roy heads off to bed but when the barbecue wraps up half of the squad and the media head out to the the beef eater pub nearby where they're under piss till 5am sorry this tiny Pacific Island has got a few feet of pub got an English pub yeah yeah so I don't know Roy's Roy's already steaming about this down at an English pub yeah give me a break an English pub that is salt in the wound really absolutely I mean it's a poor choice even though I'm a bit shocked by that yeah they've got a picture of the Queen Mother up on the wall yeah surely go to a rum shack or something I don't know yeah or there surely has to be some Irish bow.

23:30Yeah. Give them your business. Come on. You know. So following day, Ireland squad are presumably waking up a bit bleary eyed and they've got their first training session. And as soon as they get down to the pitches, it dawns on them that all is not well. And, you know, you mentioned it before. Yeah. They get down there and unanimously, the players agree that this is the worst pitch they've ever seen. it's bone dry Keane is losing the plot at this point and there's a FIFA liaison officer who's there to meet the squad and Keane goes up to him and is like what the fuck is going on with this pitch and the officer tells him well we would have wanted it if anyone told us you were coming and even worse than that none of their kit has arrived it's been stuck on the wrong plane it's probably stuck in it's still in Tokyo haven't even got any balls to play with No balls So what do you do to train if you haven't got balls?

24:30Their first day is just like shuttle runs Or just do like in the movie Hawk You know where the kids are just imagined Just imagine those balls Come on Roy Use your imagination So they're just doing laps They're just doing laps of the budget Which is village Roy describes it as Happy camper mode Happy camper mode happy camper mode with noriel ambition settling for second best give me a break I like that you're adding in your own your own little twist your own character maybe it's got to be cool give me a break give me a break come on the babies babies

25:18anyway by this time day three of this trip goes around but you think Rory's hoping that by this point they're fully into the swing. Everyone's fitness levels are high. They're getting into tactical work. Obviously, they still haven't kicked a ball yet. They've got like a beach ball from a shop or something. McIntyre's now like a mummy with toilet rolls all around. It's gradually covered up. So the third day, they turn up to the pitch. Obviously, they've had a go at them about how dry the pitch is. So they turn up there thinking, you know, hopefully it's going to be sorted out. They find the pitch as dry as ever, except for one corner which is completely flooded.

25:56Waterlogged. Yeah. I mean, it is. It's like Falti Tower. Yeah. It is amazing. Do you reckon this because the pitch is on like a slope and all the water is just... Yeah, I guess so. On the plus side, the balls have finally turned up so they can have a little bit of a kickabout. Still only got one set of goalposts so that's a bit of an issue. He's the World Cup. You know. He's got a ball. They can at least do their rondos. Start training. Jason McAteer instantly picks up this injury pitch is bone hard like it's no surprise like you said he's wrapped up in toilet paper because they got no bandages yeah and at the end once they've had their kick about they they decide they want to play this five-a-side game and only one set of goals so it's it's jumpers jumpers on the pitch yeah it's like it's like a little kick about in the park but yeah the goalkeepers refuse because they're too tired which is hilarious as well just like we're too tired to standing off for the lads they were on to the fucking last five aside games you're a keeper you're a keeper you're starting to run yeah let's not pretend ye do much yeah right fuck's sake yeah and I've only had one set of golf posts to be training with so they can't have been doing that much there's three of them they're taking it turns tired from the booze and the weather yeah yeah yeah that barbecue the hot dogs are really coming back up now the coleslaw is starting to fucking congeal in the stomachs of the keepers the beef eater pubs Yorkshire pudding yeah

27:22and Roy Keane loses it with Alan Kelly the reserve goalkeeper and they have this massive row in front of all the journalists which is not not ideal and him and Alan Kelly was like probably Roy's closest friend oh really as well within the squad yeah how close is that not close at all but like literally someone he might say hello to if he made eye contact with them was Alan Kelly so he was one of his like only kind of semi-allies so that's important too to know yeah yeah yeah so he's feeling isolated he's not on the same wavelength as anybody else there and later that day rory decides he's had enough he pulls mick mccarthy aside says he's had enough of the team's third world approach and he's going home which to be fair when you when you list stuff all those things like it's like fuck yeah right He's used to Man United's training set up.

28:17This is a third world approach. So he announces that he's going home. Colin Healy gets briefly called up in his place. But Keane's back in his room and he's mulling over this decision. Is it the right thing to do? And he gets a phone call from his Man United boss, Alex Ferguson, who convinces him. He's like, look, Roy, you're going to regret this. That's right. You don't get too many chances. You're 31 now. It's your last one. This is going to be your last World Cup. so just you know bite the bullet and go back and roy agrees so colin healy stood down poor colin healy i don't know what colin colin healy's halfway across the pacific just stopped by the phone he changed to amsterdam yeah yeah that kind of looked like it might be the end of it right because fergie fergie's influence is is strong yes and it maybe it would have been if the irish times hadn't persuaded roy to give his now infamous interview which um he says i'm going to tell the truth exactly what I felt I might you want to do the quiz yeah our resident worries there's there's things you can't accept the kite that kind of pitch no training kit no balls a 20 hour flight and there's no skips containing the team's training give me a break baby 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.

29:50Give me a break, baby. But you know, we're the Irish team. It's a laugh and a joke. Alex Ferguson is something I respect in football. He's the only person I'd listen to. Which that scene is like a dig at Mick. Of course it is. Straightforward dig at Mick. Obviously wouldn't listen to that clown. yeah yeah so he's going for him now he's gone yeah there is quite it's not all doom and gloom in that interview because he does lighten it up a little bit this next bit we had a lovely day yesterday we went up to a lovely suicide cliff and learned the history he would love that you see I enjoyed that that's the nice side of it but I keep saying to everyone we're here to prepare for the World Cup I was going to go back home there today or no, I was going to go back up there today to that cliff, that suicide cliff, add an Irishman to the list.

30:50What? What? In God's name. There's so many funny things here. First off, his idea of things really picking up is going to a suicide cliff. That is the level of misery we're talking about with Keane. So apparently I looked into suicide cliff, it's where during the war it was a Japanese, If your business runs on five different apps, 12 browser tabs, and one spreadsheet that everyone's afraid to touch, it's probably time for Odoo. Odoo is an all-in-one business management software that connects every part of your business into one powerful, easy-to-use platform. So instead of wasting time switching between disconnected systems, your entire business works together in real time.

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32:20The next thing you know, you're in a cycling crew. Well, a community cycling group. The thing about Facebook, you might find more than what you're looking for. From a browse to a bike ride, this summer, find more on Facebook. This episode is brought to you by State Farm. Listening to this podcast instead of doom scrolling? Smart move. Another smart move? Getting help from one of State Farm's 19 ,000 local agents when you choose to bundle home and auto. Bundling, just another way to save with the personal price plan Prices are based on rating plans that vary by state Coverage options are selected by the customer Availability, amount of discounts and savings And eligibility vary by state Territory at that point Yeah The Japanese locals, rather than surrender to the Americans All jumped off the cliff Right That's mad Just in case you wanted that history Roy would have loved that First he sees Ali, now the suicide There's a lot of bad information going in Roy's head it's another stone they should have that's right there's a lot kind of self-sacrificial fall on your own sword shit that's going on that's just yeah he didn't need to hear about that he didn't need to hear about that people sticking up for their principles so much they die fuck's sake he need to be hearing stories of like weasels who bent their morals yeah there's plenty of stories of Japanese loyalty to authority that would have worked there oh fuck's sake yeah well it's good that he can drop a joke in yeah a macabre joke he is funny right yeah there's no doubt that's the thing with these interviews you're like i do just love that someone would talk so fucking honestly yeah he's got wit yeah he does say in a later interview that like he like he throws in like after he left side pan he'd be like yeah if i was the manager he'd be like the players would hate me but the facilities would be top notch and it'd be suicide cliff every morning yeah every morning straight to the suicide cliff And Roy's appreciation for Japanese history is about to go even further.

34:20He's about to have the kind of meltdown Japan has not seen since 1945. So the next day, Mick McCarthy receives a copy of this interview. And unsurprisingly, he goes mental. He's completely, you know, he's gone behind his back given this interview. He's ripped apart the Federation and Mick McCarthy's preparation. and you know that's the kind of thing you just even if you have those things your manager is like just keep it in the camp that's right we'll batten down the hatches so Mick is fuming and he calls a team meeting where he invites the rest of the squad to air their concern air their grievances what a fucking stupid idea so basically yeah I mean you're cornering a homicidal Rottweiler he's already paranoid you're cornering him while you're just wearing nothing but mincemeat and your corner.

35:15It's just crazy to treat Keane this way. All you have to do is be like, you're right, let's start fresh. Right. Well, if he set himself up for a nasty situation, then he makes it even worse when he accuses Roy in front of the entire squad of faking an injury to get out of that second leg playoff against Iran. And for Roy, this is the final straw. I mean, he's hustle loyalty, respect, and you're accusing him of just grand larcenary, grand cowardice. Tickeen, the man who loves to suicide play. You know what I mean? Crazy. Crazy. Yeah. So one anonymous attendee of this meeting said, the meeting lasted 10 minutes and about eight minutes of it was roaring.