Ireland players tell Keane: Stay at home

Internal links

Ireland squad tells Keane: Stay at home

McCarthy hints apology could let Keane return

Keane: 'I still want to play in the World Cup'

Keane is not the sole culprit in collision of grand egos

Ireland's players issued a statement this morning telling Roy Keane that they did not want him to re-join the squad in Japan.

"Regrettably, the manner of Roy's behavior prior to his departure from Saipan and the comments attributed to him since then have left the staff and players with no doubt that the interests of the squad are best served without Roy's presence," said the statement, released in Izumo, where the team are preparing for the first World Cup match on Saturday.

The statement, which was unanimously approved by the remaining 22 squad members, went on to say that "the players bear no malice toward Roy on a personal level, and are looking forward to a successful World Cup campaign."

The players' statement comes after former captain Keane said last night in a TV interview that he would like to rejoin the team, but insisted that he had been justified in his tirade against manager Mick McCarthy last week while the Irish were on the Pacific island of Saipan.

"I'd love to be back. But it's up to other people," said Keane, who indicated he might take a more conciliatory tone if McCarthy and other senior Irish players were to meet him half way.

"I think I was forced into a corner, I really was," Keane said, conceding that his response "was to come out fighting."

Earlier today, McCarthy seemed to leave open the possibility, however small, that Keane could return under extraordinary circumstances. But McCarthy said neither he nor anyone else on the team had been contacted by Keane.

"I know he has been on television and spoken to 3 million people but he has not spoken to me or to anyone in the squad," the coach said. "I've not switched my phone off — everyone knows where I am and people can get in touch with me."

McCarthy refused to back down over his decision to send Keane home, insisting he acted with Ireland's best interests at heart.

"The team is bigger than one person, that includes everyone and it includes me as well," he said. "The team for me is paramount."

Keane's shock fallout with McCarthy has gripped Ireland for the past week. Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, who at one point had offered to mediate, said his people would be "sleeping happier in their beds" if the coach and star reconciled.

"Quite frankly I will be far happier next Saturday morning if Roy Keane was playing but I wasn't party to all of the things that happened. I just think it's all very sad," Mr Ahern said.