'I spoke to Alex Ferguson. He's a good man and he gave me good words of advice. You have to listen to these people' Tom Humphries in Saipan listens as the Irish captain tells his side of the story.
The international football career of Irish captain Roy Keane will come to an end as soon as the Irish team makes its exit from the forthcoming World Cup.
Completing a controversial week which saw him decide to abandon the Irish World Cup campaign and then change his mind at the last hour, Keane has spoken out strongly about the manner in which Irish preparations for the World Cup have been conducted.
Keane has also revealed it was the advice of Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson which persuaded him to remain with the Irish camp in Saipan after a ticket for his return journey had been bought by the FAI and a reserve player summoned in his stead.
In a wide-ranging exclusive interview in today's Irish Times Keane criticises the Irish operation for inadequate planning and desire in the run-up to the World Cup.
"The training pitch, the travel arrangements, even getting through the airport when we were leaving, the combination of all those things."
The Irish squad are relaxing and training at present on the Pacific island of Saipan, a 17-hour flight from Dublin. The island had no soccer pitch, so the hosts constructed one for the Irish.
Keane is critical of the FAI for forcing the players to travel so far for facilities, which he feels could have been bettered at any point on a shorter flight between Ireland and Japan.
The surface, the lack of watering, the lack of any changing facilities at the practice ground have all provoked the ire of the Irish captain.
To compound matters, the team's training gear was somewhere in transit for their first couple of days on the island and sessions were necessarily inhibited.
"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 for us 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 admits he had rows on the training ground on Tuesday with former Irish goalkeeper Packie Bonner and with Irish reserve keeper Alan Kelly, but suggests that the impact of those run-ins was merely to bring his frustrations to the tipping point.
"Yeah. I'd had enough. I'm not asking too much for everyone to want what's best. If it's a crime, I'm guilty. I'm as Irish as anybody, but this has been going on for years. Training facilities, travel arrangements. It's easy to pass the buck.
"Everyone here does it. You've got to prepare properly though, it's hard enough as it is. If I opened my mouth every time there's something wrong, I'd need my own newspaper."
Keane says he has opted to stay in Saipan for the sake, primarily, of his family.
He told the Irish management on Tuesday afternoon that he had had enough and was heading home. After initial efforts to persuade their star player had failed, the Irish party went about making the necessary arrangements.
It was only when Keane awoke early on Wednesday and engaged in a series of conversations over the phone that he changed his mind. "I spoke to Michael [Michael Kennedy, Keane's agent] and then I spoke to Alex Ferguson. He's a good man and he gave me good words of advice. You have to listen to these people. The manager [Alex Ferguson] has the same temperament as me.
"He understood what I was going through. He told me to stick it out, but this is it. I had my family to think of back in Ireland."
Keane who had intended to play through the forthcoming campaign to qualify for the 2004 European Championships will now retire from the international game after the World Cup.