A source close to the player revealed: "Roy is under pressure to throw the ball back into Mick's court in this TV interview. His family have been very upset at the publicity he has received since he was kicked out of the Irish squad and they want him to return to Japan and play in the World Cup finals.
"That can only happen if he apologises to Mick McCarthy and the apology is both accepted and acceptable. It puts all the pressure back on Mick because he will then be seen as the hero or the villain in all of this.
"Either way, it is a pretty untenable situation that Mick will find himself in if Keane does apologise and ask to be taken back. Mick will be damned if he does and damned if he doesn't."
McCarthy's squad have already made it clear they will revolt and some have even threatened to walk out of the World Cup if Keane steps foot in Japan between now and Saturday's opening game against Cameroon. McCarthy had to appease his angry players on Sunday afternoon when he returned from a Cameroon spying mission to discover the camp ablaze with Keane rumours. "I had to sit them down and assure them that no apology will be enough to get Roy Keane back into this squad," said McCarthy after Ireland had resumed training in Izumo City today.
"There were some angry players in that hotel, they were annoyed at the suggestion that he could merely apologise and walk back into the fold. I have no doubt that some of them will walk if he ever comes back.
"That is not going to happen. Roy Keane is history as far as I am concerned and we have moved on. I don't believe he is the sort who apologises for anything and I am not interested, even if he does have a change of heart."
McCarthy, himself, is furious that the never-ending Keane saga is in danger of diluting the World Cup experience for the 22 players still in Japan.
"They are the ones we should all rally behind now, not someone back in England who does not want to play for his country at the World Cup finals," added McCarthy.
"It should be the greatest experience of any player's life to get to a World Cup and I will not let anyone detract from it now. They have to focus now on the opening game on Saturday. That is all that matters to these players.
"I would be happier if the Irish nation stopped talking about Roy Keane and got behind the players who will play against Cameroon."
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