SAIPAN

Ireland, 2025, 91 minutes, Colour.

Eanna Hardwick, Steve Coogan, Peter McDonald.

Lisa Barros D'Sa, Glenn Leyburn.

Football (Soccer for those from Downunder) has a vast world following so this story, from the 2002 World Cup will be of considerable interest, for those who remember vividly, for those who are learning the history. For those not familiar with football, the recommendation is to continue watching because the drama builds up to a strong confrontation, personality conflicts.

And the title? The island of the Northern Marianas in the Pacific, the venue for the specialised training of the Irish team before it transfers to Japan for the competition matches. Saipan has an interesting history, well worth investigating, here with some footage from World War II. The Canary Islands, Tenerife, provided the location for Saipan here.

Saipan introduces its central character, champion footballer, Roy Keane, destined from his childhood talent to achieve great things. In fact, he captained Manchester United under the management of Sir Alex Ferguson. And, so, chosen to be the captain of the Irish team for the World Cup. The other central character for this film is Mike McCarthy, English of Irish descent, player for the Irish team for many years, now its manager.

Roy Keane is played broodingly by Eanna Hardwick (excellent as the sinister conman in the series, The Sixth Commandment). Steve Coogan, veteran of so many dramas and comedies, is persuasive as Mike McCarthy.

On arrival in Saipan, the team finds all kinds of limitations, including the non-arrival even of footballs. The football pitch has potholes. The accommodation is a mixture of luxury and broken down air-conditioners, Keane has his special breakfast, the others having sandwiches, the players being rather more carefree, the management concerned and worried, and Roy Keane becoming more and more individualistic.

He complains. He is aloof. He phones home. He upsets himself, continually criticising the conditions, increasingly moody. The screenplay, offers an initial acknowledgement that this is a true story tweaked. To many, Keane was a hero, hard done by. For others he was spoilt and cantankerous. The screenplay here opts for the latter.

The key scene is the final confrontation, after Keane gives a warts and all interview to a journalist, his standing up to Mike McCarthy, clash of egos, Keane stubborn, petulant, refusing to stand down.

Football lovers will know that what happened in reality. Audiences who do not will be intrigued to discover what actually happened to Ireland in the World Cup, 2002 (and some actual footage during the final credits).

1. An Irish story, a football story, a personality clash story?
2. Audience knowledge of the characters and occasion, Irish perspective, world perspective, for those knowing nothing about football?
3. The background history, Ireland, football, World Cup ambitions? McCarthy, British and Irish background, playing Ireland? Manager of the team? Roy Keane, the scenes of his childhood, talent and ambitions, player for Manchester United, contact with Alex Ferguson?
4. The introduction to Roy Keane, as a boy, talent, playing for England, phone call with Ferguson? The captain in the World Cup team, with the other players, friendly, aloof?
5. Mike McCarthy, his personality, managing the team? His assistants, the other members of the team?
6. The preparation for the match in Saipan? The flight, the accommodation, the hotel, the limitations of the football field, poor air-conditioning, the food, the sandwiches…? Get the welcome, the players adapting? The managing team and press conferences? The television coverage?
7. The limitations, the probable is not arriving? The practice sessions, the sauna, golf, partying? The indications of the countdown to the World Match?
8. The character of Roy Keane, his manner, presumptions, player for Manchester United, his aloofness, his special breakfast? Interactions with the other members of the team? The player with the books and his Kwik? His room, by himself? His complaints, phone calls home? The building up of attention, the confrontations with Mike McCarthy, the other members of the management?
9. Mike McCarthy, managing, limitations, trying to be cheerful? The discussions with Roy Keane? The buildup of the tensions, the complaints, his deciding to go home, the pressure on the management, discussions, persuasion? The media?
10. The interview, his offloading all his complaints, the promise not to publish it before the match, the publication, the impact for the players, the management, for Roy Keane himself? The advice to offer an apology?
11. The buildup to the meeting, the confrontation, Roy Keane and all his complaints, standing firm, abusing Mike McCarthy? Audience sympathy for him, for his complaints?
12. Mike McCarthy, his decisions, worrying, the screaming moment, knocking on the door, offering the opportunities, decisions, the press conference?
13. The television coverage, the commentary, the people in the street, for and against?
14. Roy Keane flying home, the team going to Japan for training, the continued request lawyer, his stubbornness?
15. The subsequent history of the matches, the success without Roy Keane, missing out actual clips during the final credits?