Mick McCarthy to use increased spare time to finally formulate riposte to ‘Stick it up your bollocks’ jibe

MICK MCCARTHY has vowed to use the extra time he now has on his hands to finally get back at Roy Keane for his infamous “Stick it up your bollocks” jibe during Ireland’s preparations for the 2002 World Cup.

The sacked Wolves manager has been plotting a sweary comeback ever since Keane launched his tirade upon learning that Ireland’s training facilities lacked the number of cones and bibs he deemed necessary for a semi-final push in South Korea and Japan.

Keane’s outburst went on to become Ireland’s third most popular catchphrase of the noughties, according to a poll conducted the Irish Times, and was even inscribed on the back of Irish one euro coins for a few years, but McCarthy has until now been too busy managing teams and conducting pithy post-match interviews to get his own back.

“Give me a few more days and I’ll have put together a zinger,” McCarthy said today from the study in his Midlands home, which he has stacked high with reference books, thesauruses, and the latest edition of Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable.

Though expected to concentrate on the former Manchester United midfielder’s underwhelming management career, McCarthy added that he’s “not ruling out” a cruel reference to Keane’s beloved Labrador Receiver, Triggs, who died in 2010.

Ever since the incident in 2002, McCarthy has spoken openly about his frustration about being unable to launch an immediate comeback, especially given his renowned ability to ad lib and swear in equal measure. Such has been his embarrassment that he has avoided meeting Keane for the past ten years.

At his lowest ebb McCarthy apparently contemplated sending a Keane a letter which ended with “no, stick it up your bollocks”, but dismissed the idea as lacking in originality.

Wolves owner Steve Morgan finally lost patience on Monday, attributing the team’s precarious position near the foot of the Premier League to McCarthy’s “obsession” with the Keane jibe, which he claimed was impairing his ability to manage training sessions and look suitably excited about the expansion of Molineux’s Stan Cullis stand.

Published February 14, 2012

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