There has been an angry press reaction to former Republic of Ireland captain Roy Keane's announcement that he has retired from international soccer.
Keane last night dramatically brought an end to his international career at the age of 31, claiming his body can no longer cope with the demands of playing at the highest level for club and country.
The Irish Independenteditorialised this morning that Keane's faults were always forgiven by the Irish fans. "But the forgiveness ended with your World Cup tantrums. Saipan was bad enough; far worse was the two-finger sign you gave the Irish public when they begged you to play for your country."
"You have once again let us down and rejected the true spirit of sport ... It hasn't been all that good to know you," the paper concluded.
The Irish Timeswas more restrained. Its chief sports writer Tom Humphries described the decision as: "an unsatisfactory ending which deprives the player of the chance to both write his own ending to the Saipan controversy and to gild his career with international honour."
And in a subtle sideswipe, it added: "It is difficult to imagine the United manager [Sir Alex Ferguson] exerting such an influence on David Beckham, the England captain".
"Betrayed" blared the Irish Daily Mirror, whose chief sports writer, Colm Keys, said that Keane had taken the "soft option".
"Even Keane's tackle on Alfie Inge Haaland was better timed," he wrote, referring to the hardman's self-confessed revenge-tackle that left the Manchester City man out for nearly two years.
The Starwas circumspect. Its editorial said: "Many people will feel not only deep disappointment but also bitterness and a sense of betrayal ... [but] we must respect Roy's decision".
It's columnist Eamon Dunphy, author of the controversial Keane biography, predictably backed the decision: "Roy has not turned his back on his country but on the FAI .. He's made the right decision, the brave decision and should be applauded for doing so".
It had been thought the Manchester United midfielder would return to the Republic of Ireland set-up following the appointment of new manager Brian Kerr. And the new boss understood he had struck a deal with Keane that would have seen the Cobh-born player play in competitive games only.
"I left the meeting very happy, and Roy gave me an unequivocal commitment that he would be back to play in the team and that he would come to Scotland to start the process in relation to his return for the matches in Georgia and Albania," Kerr said.
He said he later learned that Keane had changed his mind because of medical advice but was told there would be no announcement ahead of tonight's friendly against Scotland.
"Roy called me on Monday night to tell me that he had made a decision not to return to play for Ireland, that he had discussed it with his family and that he was disappointed to have to tell me that.
"I accepted his decision. I wish him the very best of luck in his career with Manchester United.