Roy Keane vs Mick McCarthy… Clinton Morrison gives surprising take on 2002 World Cup clash

EXCLUSIVE: Clinton Morrison has opened up about witnessing Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy explode at one another during the 2002 World Cup.

Last week, the retired striker attended the launch of the EFL and Panini’s sticker collection, where he reflected on some of his favourite memories from his tremendous career.

Clinton Morrison doesn’t blame Roy Keane or Mick McCarthy for 2002 World Cup incident

When tensions boiled over, Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy ended up at loggerheads, with the pair clashing to such an extent that the midfielder ultimately headed home prior to the start of the tournament.

Now, Clinton Morrison has claimed that neither man was to blame for the unfortunate event.

In an exclusive interview with Sporf, Morrison explained: “It was just a misunderstanding; it can happen. I think it could’ve been handled differently. I have the utmost respect for Roy Keane. He’s a fantastic captain and leader. Mick McCarthy is a brilliant manager; he gave me my opportunity.”

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While his countryman didn’t always get on too well with the gaffer, Morrison had a fantastic relationship with the football aficionado, crediting him for giving him a chance to shine for his nation.

The natural-born goal scorer said: “I went and met him because I got called up to England Under-21s, but he said he wanted me to play for Ireland and go to the World Cup. I was an hour late for the meeting, and he said, ‘You nearly didn’t have an international career’.”

McCarthy had a great deal of belief in Morrison, selecting him for the 2002 World Cup. And while the talented player didn’t make an appearance, he certainly created some memories after his country was eliminated from the competition.

The ex-Crystal Palace star chuckled: “We got knocked out, and as the Irish do, we went out, had a party, and enjoyed ourselves. Gary Kelly and I ended up Irish river dancing on Michael Flatley’s limo. How crazy is that? It was exciting.”

Clinton Morrison got one sticker that meant the world to him

During his professional career, Morrison frequently featured in sticker albums, representing both his various clubs and his country. Now, he’s got the new EFL X Panini album, which he’ll likely quickly start to fill.

However, the athlete’s love for collecting started years before he ever graced the professional pitch himself, with the football star reflecting on how excited he used to get when he opened up a pack of stickers and found his hero inside.

Morrison reminisced: “When you used to get Ian Wright, somebody you looked up to, [that was amazing]. If you’ve got three of them, you’d go to school, you’d try to swap with people. I’d always play it clever and give them one, but take ten that I need. The EFL does a lot of good stuff like this. I think it’s great they have an album now. I love sticker collecting.”

Featured Image Credit: Getty/Panini/EFL