In a new advert for Heineken 0.0, Mick McCarthy pokes fun at the infamous Saipan row between himself and former Republic of Ireland captain Roy Keane from the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
This row saw Roy Keane walk out of the camp prior to the World Cup following a much publicised row with McCarthy who was the Republic of Ireland manager at the time. This led to a huge division with the country, with some fans supporting Keane, others supporting McCarthy.
In this new advert, Mick McCarthy who returned to manage Ireland in 2018, can be seen telling a man at the bar that he is seeking "redemption".
McCarthy then looks towards a figure in the shadows which appears to resemble Roy Keane, before clarifying that he wants to redeem his free pint of Heineken 0.0. A complimentary pint of Heineken 0.0 is available until September 14, at all participating pubs via this link here.
“I was delighted when Heineken 0.0 invited me to appear in this ad not just because Heineken 0.0 is my brand of choice, but because the script had me laughing straight away. It’s not every day you get handed a role with a bit of drama and a wink of humour, so I thought, why not? I had a great time filming. The noir style gave it all a brilliant atmosphere and I think people will enjoy the subtle humour", McCarthy said of the advert.
This advert comes ahead of the upcoming film about the Saipan row, which sees Steve Coogan play the role of McCarthy, with Éanna Hardwicke starring as Roy Keane. Check out the trailer here.
