Steve Coogan, despite his lack of enthusiasm for football, is set to take on a prominent role in an upcoming film centered around the contentious figure of Roy Keane, a former Manchester United star. Interestingly, Coogan shares a unique anecdote about being with David Beckham on the very night he first encountered Victoria, adding an unexpected personal twist to his narrative.
Coogan is refreshingly candid about his indifference towards the sport. Growing up in Greater Manchester, he admits that his early interactions with football were mostly limited to doodling in coloring books themed around the game. "Back in those days before we understood better, players from Manchester City were viewed as rivals," he recalls, noting that his family was staunchly in support of Manchester United.
He humorously reflects on how they would mock City players by drawing them with earrings, lipstick, and eyelashes, intending to feminize them as a form of ridicule. "At the time, we thought it was offensive, but nowadays, that kind of expression is simply a matter of personal choice."
Now, in a significant pivot from his previous disinterest, Coogan is poised to portray Mick McCarthy, who was Keane's manager during a tumultuous period in Irish football history, in the film titled "Saipan." The title refers to the Pacific island where the Republic of Ireland's team prepared for the 2002 World Cup, a trip that sparked a major fallout between Keane and McCarthy. This altercation led to Keane's dramatic departure from the team, creating a divide that resonated deeply within Irish society, akin to a civil war.
Coogan points out the intensity of the situation, likening it to a civil conflict: "Referring to it as Civil War Two is amusing, yet there’s a kernel of truth in it," he remarks. He connects this drama to the broader historical context of Ireland’s struggles with its identity and relations with Britain, stating, "The Civil War revolved around how Ireland should behave globally and towards the British, which isn’t dissimilar to this incident."
Éanna Hardwicke, who plays Keane in the film, reflects on how he was just five years old when the events unfolded, recalling that his main concern at the time involved collecting sticker books rather than the complexities of football politics. He remembers adults advising him on how to discuss the incident, revealing the generational divide in perceptions of respect and decorum in sports. "They were firmly Team Mick and emphasized that certain behaviors were disrespectful," he explains.
Before filming commenced, Coogan reached out to McCarthy, who has had an extensive career in managing the Republic of Ireland and was also a player with a significant number of caps. "I wanted to chat because, while the script was solid, I felt it seemed overly biased towards Roy. Since I was embodying Mick, I thought it was important to represent his perspective fairly," Coogan explains. Notably, at 60 years old, he finds himself 17 years older than McCarthy was during the original incident, yet he maintains an impressive ability to don McCarthy's iconic shorts look, having recently celebrated his milestone birthday by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.
Coogan adds that McCarthy was open to conversation but expressed concerns that the portrayal might cast him in an overly negative light. In contrast, Hardwicke took a different approach for his preparation. "I had a clear understanding of Roy's perspective since there was an abundance of information and interviews available regarding the event," he notes, opting to analyze existing material rather than directly engage with Keane.
In a fascinating aside, Coogan shares a memorable encounter from 1997, a time when he intersected with pop culture and sports history. "I was out in Manchester with David Beckham and Ryan Giggs the night Beckham met Victoria," he recalls, emphasizing his peripheral involvement in what would become a legendary romance.
When prompted if he played a supportive role, he modestly downplays his contribution, admitting, "Not really, no. Ryan Giggs was there too," effectively lowering his status in Beckham's entourage from that night. As he reminisces, details about Beckham’s fashion choice resurface: "He was dressed quite stylishly in a suit, sans socks, which was a trendy look back then. Is that still fashionable?"
Curiously, when Beckham was engaged in conversation with Victoria, Coogan wasn’t left to awkwardly converse with other Spice Girls. "It wasn’t quite like that," he clarifies, before the discussion takes another unusual turn. "While on tour, someone stole our musical gear, and the Spice Girls lent me theirs."
This incident harks back to Coogan's time performing as his comedic character Tony Ferrino. When asked to clarify his connection to the Spice Girls, he explains, "We were all in Manchester at the same time doing gigs, and Beckham was part of that scene. So, I've been around for a while and have witnessed quite a bit."
"Saipan" is set to hit theaters on January 23.
