McCarthy quits Republic with his pride intact

Mick McCarthy, the man who banished Roy Keane from the World Cup, resigned yesterday as the Republic of Ireland's manager.

News of the resignation swept through the Irish capital like a bushfire, making it impossible for the Football Association of Ireland to announce it at its planned meeting today. Instead it hastily arranged a news conference in a hotel, where McCarthy arrived after handing in his resignation at the FAI headquarters in Merrion Square.

McCarthy had been Europe's longest-serving international coach ­ almost seven years ­ and agreed a £40,000 compensation package only a few months after signing a new two-year contract. His assistant, Ian Evans, has also left.

As radio stations across the capital cleared the airways to broadcast the conference, McCarthy revealed that it was his choice to leave. "It was my decision,'' he said. "Nothing was suggested, nothing was said and nobody was pushing me. I believed my presence has been affecting performances and I said that as soon as this happens I would leave. I don't feel any sense of betrayal. I feel pride to have been allowed to do the job. I enjoyed every minute of it.''

Inevitably, the majority of the questions concerned the split with Keane. "That's something that's been going on for ages, since the World Cup. I can't affect that but it's history now. It is not a tale of two citizens. It is not the Republic of Mick McCarthy, nor is it the Republic of Roy Keane. The sad thing is that a world-class player never played in the World Cup."

When asked whether he believed Keane would turn out for the Republic again, he replied: "Do you know something? It's no longer my problem.''

McCarthy was at pains to deflect the controversy of Keane and the pressures it put on his relationship with the FAI. The last straw, for McCarthy, came in the 2-1 defeat by Switzerland at Landsowne Road and the booing the followed it. "I made my mind up after the game. I gave myself time to think but in truth this was the moment I decided to go. The crowd's reaction did surprise me because if we'd had many bad results I would have understood. But as it was the circumstances surrounding it played a bigger part than I could have wanted.''

The FAI, president, Milo Corcoran, paid a warm tribute to his former manager. "He is taking the Irish team to a current ranking of 14 in the world and his results over a period of almost seven years speak volumes for his ability as a manager.''

Don Givens, the Republic's Under-21 coach, is expected to step into the breach for the friendly in Greece in two weeks' time. The FAI hopes to have a new man installed in time for another friendly, in Scotland on 12 February, after which the European Championship campaign resumes with a tricky double-header away to Georgia and Albania.

After the former Leeds manager David O'Leary ruled himself out last night, names in the frame to succeed McCarthy include John Aldridge, who said "I'd swim the Irish Sea" for the job, Joe Kinnear and John Toshack.