Saipan still baunts Irish football 24 years later, with the fallout between Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy posing the great 'what if' about the Manchester United legend's absence from the 2002 World Cup.
It even inspired a recent film, starring Steve Coogan and Éanna Hardwicke.
Keane and McCarthy could be forgiven for being sick of Saipan talk, but they are never shy to discuss it when the subject comes up.
In the new Sky Bet World Cup miniseries, Road To America, Keane was asked about it in a discussion with Micah Richards and Clinton Morrison, who was in Ireland's 2002 squad.
"Given everything that had happened with Ireland over many years, there was always going to be a tipping point," Keane said.
"I could not have done anything differently, and I have no regrets. Do I wish it had happened? Of course not. But if a manager calls a player out in front of an entire squad, I am going to react.
"Even Kevin [Kilbane], who would probably be considered closer to Mick’s side of the argument, later said he could not believe Mick had not spoken to me privately."
He added: "‘If this disagreement had happened after a friendly against Malta, nobody would have cared. The reason it became such a huge story was that it happened on the eve of a World Cup.
"The easiest thing for me would have been to keep quiet. I was 32 years old, I had won major honours, I had played in a World Cup, and I could simply have ignored everything."
Keane said he could not ignore the lack of planning around the Irish training camp, adding that it was an issue of standards.
"I don't think I could do it any differently..."
The 2002 World Cup. Mick McCarthy. Saipan.
...in Roy Keane's words 👇 pic.twitter.com/tJdSFFjNlp
— Sky Bet (@SkyBet) June 9, 2026
"But I would have felt more guilty sitting here today if I had [ignored everything]. I wanted to leave things better for the players who came after me.
"Afterwards, things improved. Players travelled differently, standards improved, and certain issues were addressed. There was even an independent review commissioned by the Football Association of Ireland, and it was highly critical of both the organisation and aspects of the management.
"That is why I reject the suggestion that I was looking for trouble or acting out of ego because I played for [Manchester] United. The easiest thing for me would have been to ignore everything."
