Mick McCarthy pokes fun at Saipan debacle in new advert

James Cox

Mick McCarthy pokes fun at the infamous Saipain debacle in a new advert, with a nod to Roy Keane also included.

Going into the 2002 World Cup, Roy Keane was up there with the best midfielders in the world but the then-Manchester United captain left the camp after a fallout with McCarthy at the Irish training camp on the Western Pacific island.

It was anything but funny at the time, but after years of debates in pubs and sitting rooms Saipain is now consigned to history.

In a new advert for Heineken 0.0, McCarthy tells a bar man he's looking for "redemption".

He then looks towards a figure in the shadows resembling Roy Keane, before clarifying he wants to redeem his free pint of Heineken 0.0.

A complimentary pint of the non-alcoholic beer is available until September 14th at participating pubs nationwide, which can be seen via www.complimentarypint.heineken.ie.

Mick McCarthy said: “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."

The ad comes ahead of a release of a film about the Saipan fiasco, which is set for release in Irish cinemas in September.