Reaction: Ireland's younger players have already expressed delight at Keane's decision, writes Emmet Malone

Brian Kerr may have started the process of preparing his players for Roy's return in recent weeks but when one team member reacted to yesterday's news by blurting out, "F***ing hell, you're joking," it became clear that not everyone in the Irish set up was entirely up to speed on developments since last Friday.

The Ireland manager is reported to have sounded out several leading members on how they would feel about the 32 year-old midfielder being brought back into the squad and the reaction was described yesterday by one observer within the FAI as "far from negative".

There is, however, some discomfort amongst a number of Keane's former team mates at the prospect of his return and it is expected that Kerr will attempt to address their concerns when the players gather for the trip to Poland in under two weeks' time.

Some senior squad members are said to believe that the move may prove counter productive and an attempt will have to be made to win them over when the Manchester United player joins up with the panel for the first time since returning home from Saipan on the eve of the last World Cup almost two years ago.

Kenny Cunningham along with Steve Carr and Matt Holland have emerged over the past year and a half as the main representatives of the players in their dealings with the FAI and ensuring that all three are on side will be of particular importance to Kerr during the weeks ahead.

Keane's return, however, has been made more straightforward given the significant turnover in personnel that has taken place since the trip to Japan and Korea in the summer of 2002.

The Corkman repeatedly made it clear that he would not return while Mick McCarthy was in charge, while the departures of half a dozen senior squad members since the defeat by Spain that ended Ireland's involvement in the tournament will also have contributed to a slight but significant shift in the balance of opinion within the squad.

Younger members of the panel have repeatedly expressed a desire for Keane to return, with Damien Duff, Liam Miller and particularly John O'Shea making it clear that they would welcome his renewed involvement.

Asked if he felt that there would be any residual bad feeling towards the Corkman, Andy Reid said yesterday that he didn't think so. "I think that people would just see what happened as something that was between the player and Mick McCarthy. Personally I'd have to say that it would be great to have the opportunity to play alongside him."

Clinton Morrison said he was, "delighted," with the news. "His experience will be a big addition," he remarked. "He's got energy, he's good on the ball and he's been playing at the highest level for years.

"That'll be good for us. Young players like me need players like him to help us develop.

"In the back of my mind," he added, "I always thought he'd be back. I'm delighted it's happened because we've got a tough group and we need people of his ability if we're going to get through it."

How many of the players who have a longer history with Keane would share those sentiments is certainly open to question, although one well established squad member whose animosity towards the United skipper was well known revealed the extent of his professional admiration for him earlier this month when he made it clear that he would be happy to play alongside him again in the international team.

"He's a person I would want on a football pitch," said Jason McAteer in an interview published in The Irish Times just 11 days ago. "When he's on the pitch with you he has an aura. You know he frightens people. He has that stature.

"He mightn't like me off the pitch," he continued, "he mightn't like my character. We don't see eye to eye, but he'd be there for me, he'd be in amongst it. I know for a fact that if I'm on a football pitch with Roy Keane he'll be there for me - 100 per cent."

Kerr's task now will be to reintegrate the 32 year-old without upsetting those less supportive of the initiative and it seems unlikely, for instance, that he will attempt to restore the midfielder to the captaincy, a move that could cause considerable resentment given the popularity of Cunningham.