THE FAN'S VIEW: : The Irish Football Supporters' Association tells Joe Humphreys that they need their 'Pele' back on the pitch

The Irish Football Supporters' Association has urged the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, to intervene in the dispute between the Republic of Ireland's manager and captain in a last-ditch bid to have Roy Keane play in the World Cup.

The association's general secretary, Alan Hunter, said: "We are asking the Taoiseach to jump on a plane, and to sit down with Mick and Roy and to sort the thing out for the sake of the fans. We need Roy to play to keep the Irish deam alive. He is our Pele, and is known the world over. It's just the Irish people who want to see him in action."

Established in 1970, the association, which represents supporters of GAA, rugby and soccer, claims to have up to 50,000 members, who it has record of on its data-base. Hunter said the group had already contacted the Department of the Taoiseach yesterday. "It would be horrific if Roy Keane was never to don a green jersey again," he said.

Also expressing shock yesterday was Vincent Lynam, treasurer of the Irish Soccer Supporters' Association who said he thought the dispute within the Irish camp had been settled on Wednesday.

"Roy will be a big loss. They have always wanted to prove Ireland was not a one-man team. Now they have their chance," he said.

The sports commentator and director of the chairty agency Goal, John O'Shea, described Keane's departure as a national tragedy and he urged the Irish captain to apologise to the Irish team and manager, Mick McCarthy, for his recent outbursts.

McCarthy's predecessor Jack Charlton, who took Keane to the 1994 finals in the United States, said he sided with the team manager in the dispute, saying "you can't have players dictating what happens in the squad. I have to back Mick in that situation. I don't understand why Roy has done this.Roy's made a mistake and has got to live with the consequences. He's got to face the anger of the fans. This has spoilt the good times for the fans and I'm very unhappy it's had to happen now.

"I think when Roy sits down and thinks about what he's done he will have a few regrets.

"You don't walk out on a World Cup. He's one of the best players in the world and he should be at the finals."

Charlton said Keane's departure from the squad would have grave consequences for Irish chances of success in the tournament. "Roy is one of the best players in the world. His work-rate and commitment are tremendous. But we've got to be lucky to get through our group now. Things aren't going well and it can't be good for team spirit or morale."

One of the few commentators defending Keane yesterday was the former Irish international Eamon Dunphy, who is writing a biography on the enigmatic Corkman. Dunphy claimed the player was a victim of his own courage and professionalism. The management couldn't take the criticism which was well deserved and this is disastrous," he said. "It's bad news for Irish soccer and the morale of the team will suffer."

A greater cross-section of opinion was evident from fans who expressed their views to ireland.com yesterday. Some 8,000 people voted in two internet polls on the issue of whether McCarthy was right to send Keane home. In a news section poll, 58 per cent of people voted "yes", while in a sports section poll the result was closer with 51 per cent voting "yes" and 49 per cent "no".