Mick McCarthy ‘It Can’ Meme: Origin, Context & Impact

Few moments in football press conferences escape the moment they’re spoken, but Mick McCarthy’s deadpan response to a grim question about Blackpool’s form didn’t just escape — it became a lasting piece of internet shorthand for hopeless situations. The clip captured a manager at the end of his tether, and it resonated far beyond the small crowd of journalists in the room.

Born: 7 February 1959, Barnsley, England ·
Republic of Ireland caps: 57 ·
Republic of Ireland managerial record: 92 matches, 44 wins (1996–2002) ·
Date of viral ‘It can’ press conference: February 2023 ·
Sides managed: 23 clubs/national teams

Six facts that define Mick McCarthy’s career, both before and after the viral moment.

The pattern: a two-word answer turned a veteran manager’s frustration into the defining footnote of his later career.

When did Mick McCarthy say ‘it can’?

The exact press conference

• The exchange took place following Blackpool’s 3–1 defeat to Reading.
• A journalist asked whether Blackpool’s poor run of results could continue.
• McCarthy replied with the clipped, now-famous response: “It can.”

“It can’t go on like this, can it? It can!”

— Mick McCarthy (Reddit r/soccer transcript)

The context at Blackpool

• McCarthy was appointed Blackpool manager in January 2023 on a short-term contract (BBC Sport).
• The team had won just once in 17 matches and was 23rd in the Championship (The Sun).
• Their next fixture was against league leaders Burnley.

The implication: McCarthy’s blunt reply wasn’t just a soundbite — it reflected a side that had been out of form for months, making his deadpan delivery land with extra force.

Who said ‘it can’ in football?

Mick McCarthy’s career

The speaker is Mick McCarthy, a former professional footballer and one of the most experienced managers in British and Irish football.

What this means: The weight of the meme comes partly from the stature of the man who said it — a veteran manager whose career spans decades and two World Cup campaigns.

Is Mick McCarthy still managing? What is he doing now?

Current role

• As of late 2025, McCarthy is no longer managing a club.
• He has transitioned into media work, providing punditry and analysis for football broadcasts (Sky Sports).

Recent positions

• His most recent managerial role was at Blackpool FC, where he took over in January 2023 (BBC Sport).
• He left the role in April 2023 by mutual consent after the club was relegated from the Championship.

The catch: The meme has kept McCarthy in the public eye more than any recent managerial position might have.

Who made the ‘It Can’ meme and why did it go viral?

Origin of the clip

• The meme originated from a clip of the February 2023 Blackpool press conference.
• A journalist from the local press captured the exchange and it was posted to social media (Reddit r/soccer).
• Users quickly transformed the clip into a reaction GIF and short-form video.

How it spread

• The quote spread rapidly across Twitter, Reddit, and TikTok as a GIF for hopeless situations.
• Its appeal lies in its short structure, which can be detached from the original match context and applied universally.
• The phrase has even been adapted into merchandise, such as the popular “It can’t be Christmas, can it? It can” sweatshirt (Tshirt at Low Price).

Why this matters: The meme’s endurance reveals how football fans use humour to cope with disappointment, turning a moment of managerial exasperation into a shared cultural reference.

Do Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy talk now?

Historical conflict

• McCarthy and Roy Keane had a famous falling out during the 2002 World Cup in Saipan (Wikipedia).
• The dispute began over a training ground incident and led to Keane being sent home from the tournament.
• It remains one of the most publicized rifts in Irish football history.

Current relationship

• Their relationship has been described as complicated by biographers.
• No clear public reconciliation has taken place, though both have made conciliatory gestures in interviews over the years.

The trade-off: Public feuds in football often remain unresolved for the sake of legacy, and the McCarthy-Keane split is a textbook example of how two strong personalities can define each other’s narratives from a distance.

Timeline of the Meme

• 1996–2002: McCarthy manages the Republic of Ireland national team.
• 2002: Famous feud with Roy Keane at the World Cup.
• 2018–2020: Second stint as Republic of Ireland manager.
• February 2023: Appointed Blackpool manager; the ‘It Can’ press conference takes place.
• April 2023: Leaves Blackpool by mutual consent.
• 2025: Meme references continue to appear in newspaper reports on struggling teams.

What’s Confirmed and What’s Unclear

Confirmed facts

• Mick McCarthy made the “It can” comment during a Blackpool press conference (The Sun).
• The quote was a direct response to a question about the team’s poor form.
• McCarthy is a former manager of the Republic of Ireland (Wikipedia).

What remains unclear

• The exact date and full time stamp of the press conference in February 2023.
• The specific wording of the reporter’s full question leading to the quote.
• The current personal status of the relationship between Keane and McCarthy (Wikipedia).

Key Quotes

“It can’t go on like this, can it? It can.”

— Mick McCarthy (The Sun)

“The clip became a staple of football Twitter because it perfectly captured the grim resignation of a club in freefall.”

— Editorial commentary (The Sun)

For the English football fan, the ‘It can’ meme is more than a joke — it’s a cultural snapshot of a club’s low point and a manager’s blunt honesty. Whether it remains a funny clip or becomes an awkward reminder of a struggling tenure depends on how much the context is remembered. For Blackpool fans, the memory of the 2022–23 season is now inseparable from the two-word reply that summed it all up.

Frequently asked questions

Related reading

• Mick McCarthy ‘It Can’: Meme, Keane Fallout, Career
• Mick McCarthy’s ‘It Can’ Meme: Origin, Keane Feud, Life Now