WORLD CUP 2002: Mary Hannigan looks at both sides of the argument

(1) McCARTHY'S: It's up the manager and his coaches to decide how training sessions should be run, Keane was out of order when he rowed with Packie Bonner and Alan Kelly over the goalkeepers not being involved in the training match. Who does he think he is? Upstart.

(2) McCARTHY'S: If Keane had problems with the organisational side of the trip to Saipan, and the facilities that awaited the squad, he should have spoken privately to McCarthy about them and not aired his grievances publicly.

(1) KEANE'S: It's not Keane's fault if he's the only professional in the ranks. As captain, he was entitled to express his opinion on how the players were being prepared for the weeks ahead and demand that everyone put the same degree of effort in to training - if he believed things were not being run correctly he was within his rights to air his views.

(2) KEANE'S: Keane has been complaining, according to Denis Irwin, for years about the quality of the FAI's organisational skills and the facilities that the players have to contend with - he got nowhere so, when he saw that little had improved at the most crucial of times, went public with his complaints.

(3) McCARTHY'S: Keane had absolutely no right to speak to McCarthy in the abusive manner that he did - if McCarthy was going to retain his authority within the squad he had no choice but to send Keane home.

(4) McCARTHY'S: Good and all as Keane may be, Ireland is not a one-man team and if he was a disruptive influence on the squad they're better off without him.

(3) KEANE'S: If McCarthy wanted a showdown with Keane he should have done it privately, with just the two of them present - he should not have done it in front of the rest of the squad. By challenging Keane to air his views in front of the squad it smacked of a set-up, designed to provoke him in to an outburst that would ultimately seal his fate.

(4) KEANE'S: Keane is, by common consent, the team's only world class player and did more than anyone else to take Ireland to the World Cup. As captain he fought for the good of the whole squad, not just himself, so he could hardly be categorised as a 'disruptive' influence - he was simply trying to change things for the better of all the players.

(5) McCARTHY'S: Keane is so accustomed to the luxury of life at Manchester United he expects the FAI, who have nowhere near the same resources, to be able to provide the same facilities and be as efficient in an organisational manner. He's just a spoilt prima donna.

(6) McCARTHY'S: Keane has never had any respect for Mick McCarthy and was spoiling for a fight - this was an accident waiting to happen.

(5) KEANE'S: Keane accepts that the FAI doesn't have the same resources as Manchester United so he's not asking for luxury, simply that the basics are done right. Getting the kit and the World Cup footballs to Saipan in time wouldn't have cost the FAI any more money than by sending them too late. It's not about money, it's about organisation and the desire to run things in a professional manner.

(6) KEANE'S: True, there's no love lost between them, but that's never affected Keane's performances for Ireland. Does it matter if they don't like each other? Surely all that counts is how Keane plays for his country?

(7) McCARTHY'S: It's the competing that matters  and the craic and the Ole Oles and the Jolly Green Army. Keane is only interested in winning and that's just not possible, at this level, for Ireland. He expects too much.

(8) McCARTHY'S: Keane has always put Manchester United before Ireland - he probably just wanted the summer off to get himself ready for the new club season.

(7) KEANE'S: No arguments, Keane expects everyone around him to be just as ambitious and driven as he is, he won't settle for anything less. Try telling him 'it's the competing that matters' and that vein in his forehead will pop before your very eyes. Yes, in footballing terms, we're minnows  but so were Denmark before they won the European Championships back in the 1990's. If you set your sights low enough you'll successfully miss the target.

(8) KEANE'S: Presumably you're a Liverpool supporter? Far too many games to mention  but did you miss Keane's performance against Portugal at Lansdowne Road? Thought so.