Jason McAteer: I don't think Roy Keane is going to come out too well in Saipan film

Coming soon to a screen near you is the film 'Saipan' starring Steve Coogan as Mick McCarthy and Éanna Hardwicke as Roy Keane.

COMING SOON: Steve Coogan has been cast as Mick McCarthy, with Éanna Hardwicke taking on the Roy Keane role for the film on the fallout in Saipan. 

Jason McAteer's goal against the Netherlands played a huge part in sending the Republic of Ireland to the World Cup in 2002, and it probably ensured he would have a seat when things turned sour in the immediate build-up to the tournament in Japan.

Coming soon to a screen near you is the film 'Saipan' starring Steve Coogan as Ireland manager Mick McCarthy and Éanna Hardwicke, who will be playing Roy Keane to depict the infamous fallout that took place on the small Japanese island shortly before the tournament kicked off.

McAteer was there to witness it all unfold, so much so that he will be played by Oliver Coopersmith in the production, which he initially couldn't believe was really being made until he was informed otherwise via a text from an actor friend in Ireland.

"It was a picture of this kid and he asked 'do you think this guy can play you in a movie?" McAteer told the BBC podcast, Sacked in the Morning.

"Obviously it was Brad Pitt - I'm joking. He said they're making a film about Saipan and I was like 'shut up'. I asked was it a documentary and he went 'no, it's a big movie'."

"There was always tension between Roy and Mick. It went back from when they played together.

"When Mick was (Republic of Ireland) captain and Roy was a young kid, they clashed a number of times.

"Then Mick got the manager's job and Roy became one of the best midfielders in the world, so it was always a difficult relationship.

"We were struggling with jet lag and tiredness and there were a few things that needed ironing out. 

"Unfortunately, it escalated to the point where, in a team meeting, Mick and Roy decided to air their views on each other, which didn't go down very well.

"It just got to the point where it was a slagging match. I'd been involved in fights in dressing rooms. I'd seen managers lose their temper. I'd seen players throw punches, but I'd never been involved in an argument which escalated to such a point where one of them was gonna snap - and they did. And it was Roy.

"What followed was just ridiculous. The country was split in half, it got political, players were dragged into it. We weren't allowed out of the hotel, we weren't allowed out to talk to the press.

"It soured the situation, to be honest. I'd been involved in World Cup '94, which was the best six weeks of my life.

"The World Cup is amazing and we'd earned the right to be there again. It was there to be enjoyed and unfortunately this overshadowed everything.

"It's gonna be a blockbuster! I don't think Roy's gonna come out too well in this film to be honest."