THOMAS REDMOND,
Sir, - The shambles in Saipan need not be remembered as a day of heartbreak and disgust. Compromise is vital and positive in any organisation, and it is both possible and imperative in the Keane/McCarthy/FAI situation. These three parties must think of their duties to the fans, whose World Cup dreams they have contrived to destroy.
The process of compromise is easy: Keane apologises. McCarthy accepts his apology. The FAI acknowledges its part and vows to improve its organisation. Keane returns and inspires the team in Japan.
Such compromise now needs a swallowing of pride on the part of all parties. This is not something that is too much to ask - it is an absolute requirement. The private duties these parties have to their egos are far outweighed by the public duties they have to their fans, and by extension to their country.
Through cold pragmatism and brave self-sacrifice, all parties together can still turn this tragedy around. They must do so for the people of Ireland, whose hearts they are breaking. - Yours, etc.,
THOMAS REDMOND,
Shinjuku-ku,
Tokyo,
Japan.
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Sir, - Yesterday your sports pages carried an article by Gerry Thornley about the Munster rugby team's chances in the European Cup Final today. The Munster captain, Mick Galwey, talks about how the team approach their games. He says: "It's not about individuals, it's not about the management or the team, it's about the whole ethos, it's about the people who are travelling with us, it's about the people who can't travel, it's about the people who supported Munster years ago, it's about the great players that played with Munster who never saw days like this, it's about everybody involved in this, it's about everybody Irish who wants to be involved in this.".
Compare this approach with that of another former Irish captain as the team prepare for the soccer World Cup. - Yours, etc.,
PAUL J DELANY,
Glenvara Park,
Knocklyon,
Dublin 16.
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Sir, - It's funny that Roy Keane was never a "disruptive influence" when he was carrying the Irish team on his back through the qualifying stages of the World Cup. He wasn't a "disruptive influence" when he was standing alone against Portugal in Landsdowne Road, defending at one end of the pitch and scoring at the other. Now that Mick McCarthy and the FAI have arrived on the world stage, the person most responsible for getting them there is - shamefully - surplus to requirements.
Whatever happens in this World Cup, McCarthy will always be remembered as the man who prematurely, and unnecessarily, ended the international career of the greatest footballer this country ever produced.
The thought that Roy Keane will never again wear an Irish jersey breaks my heart. - Yours, etc.,
N. CASSERLY,
Menlo,
Galway.
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Sir, - Does Roy Keane think he's better than the rest of us? The Irish people put up with sub-par services every day, from slow, unhygienic public transport, to hippy-bashing policemen, all the way up to "brown-bag" politicians. Why would he have thought the FAI should be any different?
More importantly, why wouldn't he just do as the rest of us do and give his best shot regardless? Perhaps all those years working for a knight of the Queen has softened him somewhat. - Yours, etc.,
J. BEST,
Stoneybatter,
Dublin 7.
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A chara - The sacking of Ireland's outstanding soccer talent on the eve of the World Cup shows that the country remains "the old sow that eats her farrow". - Is mise,
PAUL HARDY,
Croydon,
Surrey,
England.
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Sir, - With respect, I don't think Katherine Holmquist (Opinion, May 24th) really knows what she's talking about. Regardless of his talents, his experience, his status in the game, Roy Keane was still only a member of the Republic of Ireland squad. No more, no less. The boss of that squad is Mick McCarthy.
The relationship between player and manager is clear. Keane lost his temper and lashed out at his boss, who rightly showed him the door. If Ms Holmquist were to verbally abuse her boss in front of all her work colleagues, what sort of reaction would she expect? "There there, Katherine, I understand"? Not likely.
We football fans have been betrayed all right - but not by Mick McCarthy. - Yours, etc.,
DAVID POWELL,
Frejus,
France.
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Sir, - As an avid soccer fan I am deeply shocked by the news of Roy Keane's sudden sayonara to the World Cup. What was shaping up as a month of great excitement has been destroyed for me and, I am sure, for many others.
So what happened? Keane has always had a suspect temperament. He needs to be managed in a certain way and Mick McCarthy obviously had no idea how to do it. People in the street will say he is right, that no one player is above the team, but this is not true in Keane's case. He is the team. Without him the other players would be on their holidays with their families watching from afar. - Yours, etc.,
TOM McLOUGHLIN,
Laytown,
Co Meath.
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Sir, - As an Irish football follower old enough to have been present at the World Cup final of 1966, I have seen many of the world's top footballers. Roy Keane is up there with the best of them, his skill and indomitable will to win making him a candidate to be each match's most valuable player.
However, his crass verbal behaviour off the pitch goes far beyond the bounds of acceptable conduct. As captain of Ireland, and indeed of Manchester United, he is the fulfilment of almost every schoolboy's dream. Such a privileged position brings with it the requirement to be an example to such schoolboys, not just on the field, and he falls seriously short in this department. He is entitled to be odd; he is not entitled to be ignorant.
Well done to Mick McCarthy for standing up in the face of verbal intimidation. Dr Keane has let himself and his country down, and not for the first time. - Yours, etc.,
DON CONDON,
Waterford.
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Sir, - Roy Keane's departure is sad for everyone, but particularly for the man himself. Unless someone can persuade him to change his mind and cool things down he will carry this self-destructive burden with him for ever. He needs someone to make him restrain his temper. Eamon Dunphy's frantic efforts to divert attention away from the root cause would be credible if he were not so personally biased and nasty about Mick McCarthy and the FAI.
The fact that Roy employs him as his ghost writer may compromise his objectivity. However, Dunphy should be called upon to try to persuade him to reconsider. It is not too late to save Roy from himself. He is making a tragic mistake and will have to pay a terrible price.
It does not matter who said what and whose ego was not stroked. Roy is the long-term loser. - Yours, etc.,
MICHAEL ANDERSON,
Boulevard North,
Bayside,
Dublin 13.
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Sir, - At the beginning of this month a gifted Irish footballer from Cork, currently playing for Manchester United, said that "good players don't necessarily make good teams. That's my opinion, I don't care what anyone else thinks".
Clearly the speaker of such wise words would agree completely with Mr McCarthy's decision. - Yours, etc.,
Prof MARK O'BRIEN,
University of Akureyri,
Iceland.