We are tantalisingly close to the world cup, which will mean nerves will be on edge for the supporters of the home teams that managed to qualify, England and Scotland.

It will also see our screens awash with the ‘all-knowing’ pundits, with none more opinionated than Roy Keane.

He did appear in a world cup – 1994’s playing for the Republic of Ireland – so he has experience, but occasionally his notoriety makes more of the headlines, as the film shows here, when he was part of the team to play in the 2002 Japan World Cup, but it didn’t quite go to plan.

Being the captain of his national team, it was no surprise to find one name at the top of the team list - Roy Keane (Éanna Hardwicke). He got there by also being the captain of one of the most successful clubs at the time, Manchester United, and playing under one of the most notorious managers, Alex Ferguson.

So he was, without doubt, the biggest player in the team.

Managing the national team was Englishman Mick McCarthy (Steve Coogan). They didn’t exactly see eye to eye before the trip, but their relationship was truly tested once they arrived at their training camp of Saipan, an island south of their eventual destination Japan.

Although this may well be set in the world of football, this is a film about ego. Hardwicke is impressive as the opinionated Keane, reflecting with his hard edges perfectly. His Keane butts heads with McCarthy, delivered with an authentic mild manner-ness from Coogan, a manager who is well aware he has his hands full with the star player, but still with the mindset that it is a team game.

It’s an interesting dynamic, but not necessarily strong enough to support an entire film; it’s not two political figures battling it out to prevent war after all, just a clash of egos, with Keane in full no nonsense mode throughout.

Its title doesn’t do itself any favours either; although pertinent, it doesn’t jump off the shelf for the average football lover, who may well pass it by in blissful ignorance.

The two main performances are solid, although it could have done with more of Coogan’s McCarthy, and his mental state at the time, as well as more of an input of how the rest of the team were feeling playing gooseberry in this obvious tug-o-war.

But if you’re familiar with Keane’s blunt punditry, but not fully aware of this incident, it’s an educational insight that confirms what we already know, that the talented football star and pundit is not one for backing down.