Mick McCarthy has made it crystal clear that nearly 24 years on, there's absolutely no love lost between him and Roy Keane.
Speaking at an event hosted by The Sun in Ireland this week, the 67-year-old former Republic of Ireland manager launched into a foul-mouthed tirade about his old nemesis and Steve Coogan's new film about their infamous falling out.
McCarthy branded Keane a "c***" during a Q&A session, using a clever misdirection about praising a "great goalscorer" before revealing: "I'm talking about Robbie [Keane], not that other c***."
He also dismissed the Saipan movie as "a heap of s***."
Mick McCarthy infamously fell out with Roy Keane prior to the 2002 World Cup
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The bitter rivalry dates back to the Republic of Ireland's pre-World Cup training camp on the Pacific island of Saipan in 2002.
Conditions at the camp were so shambolic that the squad turned up without any footballs to train with.
Keane, then 30 and at the peak of his powers as Manchester United captain, was furious about McCarthy's handling of the situation and didn't hold back in letting him know.
What followed was a spectacular bust-up filled with drama and conflict, ultimately ending with Keane flying home before the tournament even began.
The fallout has clearly never healed.
Mick McCarthy, who is being played by Steve Coogan in the movie, walked out of the Saipan film premiere after 20 minutes
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McCarthy took his family along to watch the film, but came away thoroughly unimpressed with how Coogan portrayed him on screen.
One particular gripe was the height difference depicted between the two men during their confrontations.
"He's about 5ft 8in, Steve Coogan, and in the film Roy towers above him for f***'s sake," McCarthy complained.
He also hit back at reports suggesting he had coached Coogan for the role, insisting he'd only spoken to the actor when asked.
"I saw in one of the Irish newspapers that I coached him – no I f***ing didn't coach him," he fumed.
Roy Keane, Republic of Ireland's captain at the 2002 World Cup, was shockingly sent home by Mick McCarthy before the tournament got started in a spectacular bust-up
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The spat has been thrust back into the spotlight following the high-profile release of Saipan, which premiered in Ireland at the end of last year before hitting UK cinemas in early 2026.
Daily Mail football editor Ian Ladyman praised Eanna Hardwicke's performance as Keane, writing that he "gets Keane so perfectly it's vaguely chilling."
These days, the 54-year-old Keane remains a divisive figure through his prominent work as a television pundit.
Mick McCarthy has not managed since leaving Blackpool in 2023
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McCarthy, meanwhile, has stepped away from the football spotlight, with his last managerial position being at Blackpool back in 2023.