The Republic of Ireland will have to do without their talismanic skipper Roy Keane after his dismissal from the squad.
Are Ireland half the team without Keane?
It is widely acknowledged that Keane is Ireland's one world-class performer and his loss would be a blow to any nation.
Steve Staunton has assumed the captain's armband and Ireland will now look to the likes of Damien Duff and Robbie Keane for inspiration.
Can Ireland perform without Roy Keane?
He should never play for Ireland again, even if they do change manager. Who's to say he won't fly home on a private jet if he doesn't get his way next time?
Matthew McCabe, Scotland
Keane is one of the best midfielders in the game - he has respect on the pitch like no other and dictates the game. The Republic are doomed without him. McCarthy should have let him back and dealt with the problem after the World Cup
Ryan Law, Northern Ireland
What a pity that such obvious talent is wasted on such a childish, immature upstart. McCarthy has made the right decision and should stand by it. Good luck to the Republic of Ireland squad - you can do as well if not better without this riff raff.
Ireland should have bent over backwards to accommodate Keane. Bulgaria and Romania, for example, have managed to do thus with Stoichkov and Hagi in the past. You need your best players and Keane would have been one of the best in the tournament, never mind the Ireland squad.
Gregor Stirling, Scotland
If it comes down to a choice between having easily my best player or my manager, I choose the player. McCarthy won't be on the pitch against Cameroon, et al, and now neither will Keane. Fire McCarthy, replace the management at the FAI, and bring back Keane, at least in time for the Germans.
David Brady, USA (Irish)
Keane deserves to play in the World Cup more than any other player in Europe for sheer dedication, commitment and talent. I still cannot believe that such a great player can be deprived of his true stage. I think answers will come later and people will be losing their jobs
Shane Ring, Ireland
I was so proud that he was Irish, he was one of us. Now I feel nothing but disgust at Roy Keane and have to say - Roy you should hold your head in shame, you have let your country down!
I'm afraid Roy Keane needs to grow up. It's about time he stop acting like a spoiled child having tantrums
Les Irvine, UK
Ireland have no hope without him, as he is their most influential player. An Ireland team without Keane has absolutely no chance. He knows he has done wrong, but Mick McCarthy needs to grow up and end his dispute with Keane.
Robert Bryan, England
Okay the conditions weren't totally satisfactory to him, so complain. But don't insult the manager and the rest of the team, just put up with it and do the best job you can - you're still at the World Cup.
Keane should not be taken back because of team morale. If he went back then there would be a lot of tension in the team. Keane is the skipper but he shouldn't have mouthed of at Mick McCarthy. Mick did the correct thing by sending him home.
Tom , England
I think Keane should realise that playing for Manchester United and playing for Ireland are two entirely different things. Manchester United are the richest club in the world and can afford the luxuries he has become accustomed to. However, Ireland, in relation, are a third world club. There is not even a fully professional league, so how can the prima donna expect the best.
Daniel Gillings, England
Roy Keane is great talent but unfortunately has lost control on too many occasions and in front of too many young and very impressionable fans and players. The Republic of Ireland will be better off without him.
I'm a Manchester United fan and I'd just like to say how out of order Roy Keane was.
Not only was he making a fool out of Mick McCarthy and himself, he is also saying that the Republic of Ireland is a one-man team.
I think here in Manchester we have treated him with too much respect. And when he does something wrong we don't punish him. The FAI have responded well and should stand their ground.
Chris Hussein, Manchester
As Mick McCarthy said, no one man is bigger than the team. However, he has failed miserably to heed his own advice, instead sending home his best player.
This was a situation that could easily have been avoided by a competent manager, obviously Mick thinks he is bigger than the team and has set Roy Keane up in his own contrived kangaroo court.
Good luck and goodbye to him after the first round - he will have met his own expectations but not that of Ireland.
Have the squad now got their heads stuck in the sand? Or are they Mick's puppets? Both sides have made mistakes but this is hardly going to resolve the problem. Surely standing up for what you believe is right is not a disgraceful act? As captain it is his duty.
Maybe it could have been communicated better by Keane but communication is hardly Mick's strong point as he demonstrated with that outrageous squad meeting. He knew what the result would be and he got it.
All the focus is on who is to blame - this is a mistake - the focus should be on fixing the problem. The FAI have once again proved their incompetence through poor preparations, Keane has shown he can be obnoxious, McCarthy has managed the situation poorly by calling a public meeting and not sorting it out in private.
But so what! The fact is that it's in the national interest of Ireland for Keane to play - everyone knows that - even if he is jetlagged Ireland are a better team. A row between two strong personalities should not be allowed to take precedence over the national interest and pride of a nation.
This is breaking the country in two. The FAI, McCarthy and Keane be proper men - forget about who is to blame and put the country first. Please, agree to park your row until after the World Cup and be true heroes for Ireland. That way everyone is a winner again.
Bertie, the President, anyone - please intervene in this stupid situation on behalf of Ireland and let's put our best team forward!
The real losers in this situation are the fans. McCarthy should have confronted Keane in private and not in front of the players. It forced Keane into a bad position which he did not handle well either.
But the country wants their best player at the World Cup and all it will take is for two men to sit down like adults and sort their differences...there is more than their pride at stake.
Brian McDonnell, Republic of Ireland
McCarthy was right to send Keane home. Highly paid players think they are more important than managers. Keane should have bit his lip or had a quiet word with McCarthy.
Keane is a disgrace and should not be allowed to play football for Ireland or Man Utd again. The people who support him are probably closet Utd fans anyway. Get rid of this clown.
Philip Burrow, England
Ha ha ha ha! Well done to the RoI players - specially Quinny - you've really made my World Cup.
Mick McCarthy's performance in this episode has been risible to say the least. Keane's pincipled, albeit irascible behaviour certainly cannot be condoned. It is this same irascible behaviour which ineluctably led to Keane's expulsion from the side.
But who would you trust: one who sticks by his principles or one who wants to save his face? One who wants to win in for Ireland or one who approaches the World Cup to take a jaunt?
Give Keane a chance Mick. And then not only will the Irish sleep better, but myself as well.
First of all I would just like to say that I am a huge Man Utd fan and over the years Roy Keane has been my favourite player both for club and country. I do agree that Keane's interview with The Irish Times and his outburst were going that bit too far.
But then again he is or was the captain of a professional football team playing in the greatest competition in the world and I think, seeing as Mick wasn't prepared to speak out about the training facilities and all the bad organisation, Roy was right to do so.
I also think he did wrong by using the language he did but he is a temperamental man and he was absolutely filleted by his manager in front of all his colleagues! McCarthy should be ashamed of himself, why did he call that meeting in front of all the players? Why did he have a press conference half an hour after? Why did he phone Alex Ferguson before Roy did?
One reason and one reason only: he hates Roy, he wanted to show everyone that Roy was wrong and he was right! Well he hasn't! And as for the players left over there? Some of them went to Roy, before and after that meeting, to explain that they felt the same but that they wanted to play in the World Cup!!! Cowards!
Roy is dead right, these are grown men who should stand up and say what they think. Not sit there doing nothing watching their only chance of anything from the World Cup vanishing before their eyes! Niall Quinn, Steve Staunton, Alan Kelly and Mick McCarthy are not welcome in this country as far as I'm concerned! Anyhow, how many of them are Irish?
A captain must be all things to all men. Keane was leading them into the biggest competition of their lives. They needed him to be calm, not hysterical; they needed belief not doubt; they needed vision not short-sightedness; they needed him to be strong not prone to tantrums.
Whatever the circumstances - poor facilities, poor accommodation - Keane did not lead his men successfully through it - he pressed the eject button and bailed out on them.
Yes, I do believe that Ireland should have their best player in the squad. Both Mick and Roy have something to learn from this experience.
There is clearly wrong on both sides in this affair, I think the players (22), Mick and Roy should listen to the wishes of the Irish people; after all it is their wishes they should be proud to represent and it is their wishes that should prevail in this affair.
It is time for compromise, healing and progress. Let us move on together and do the best for our country!! Bury the hatchets, spears and daggers. All of the players should be prepared to take the biggest picture and cling to it; it is after all the only positive thing to do.
Daniel Chambers, N.Ireland
The Irish ship has hit stormy waters and will sink rapidly without Keano. The shadow of disgrace has fallen on both Roy and the FAI.
I believe Keane is right - every team should be at the World Cup expecting to win it. It seems that poor management of important preparation details by the FAI has led to this outcome...
Tim Clayton, UK