McAteer: Keane thinks he is Fergie

"McCarthy tried to appeal to Keane and reminded him of the times he had defended him in public. But Keane continued his barrage, leaving the manager no option but to send him home."

"Now the saga's over, there is a definite sense of relief at Keane's departure. He had been his usual brooding self since our arrival in Saipan. From the start he moaned about . . . well everything really."

Holland has little sympathy with Keane's catalogue of complaints. "Keane lives in Roy Keane's world and refuses to accept other people's autonomy or opinions," he said.

"A lot of his complaints were petty and sometimes you just have to get on with it."

Keane, however, has no wish to close the door on the incident which ended his international career and he kept the issue blazing over the weekend with a series of further comments.

"I don't regret what I said but at the same time I agree that Mick had to send me home," said Keane.

"A player cannot speak to a manager like that and continue to work under him. Of that charge I am guilty." The Manchester United captain, however, now back home in Cheshire, has no regrets. "I feel comfortable with myself and the way I acted. After waking up yesterday morning in my own bed in my own home, I was quite happy to look at myself in the mirror."

Keane's exit came after a meeting held to discuss his complaints about the training facilities in Saipan, and he blames McCarthy for the confrontation.

He also claimed that the manager had accused him of feigning injury to avoid the second leg of the World Cup play-off against Iran in Tehran last year.

"He accused me of being disloyal to my country and a liar. I just felt that if Mick hadn't called the team meeting when we had the row, none of this would have happened.

"We should have met in private, man to man, and when I spoke to Alex Ferguson he agreed with me. It was because he chose to raise the issues I had discussed in an article in the Irish Times in front of the other players that I reacted as I did."

Keane also expressed his disappointment at the reaction of several senior players. "It was only after Niall Quinn and Steve Staunton had given a Press Conference that they came to my room, and that hurt me. I actually feel more betrayed by them than I do by Mick - in particular Quinn, Staunton and Alan Kelly."

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. They have a job to do and they want to get on with it. I would be happier if the Irish nation stopped talking about Roy Keane and got behind the players who will play against Cameroon on Saturday."

Wimbledon's Kenny Cunningham returned to training this morning following his hamstring problems.

Fulham's Steve Finnan took part in some light work and McAteer will resume jogging tomorrow after a scan on his injured knee revealed nothing more than bruising.

Irish stars won't have Keane back
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