SOCCER: WITH SPELLS at seven clubs in as many seasons, Paul McShane could do with putting down some football roots. But the 25-year-old's career is in limbo again after a season that saw him sent out on loan to Barnsley from Hull City. He has two years left on his Hull contract, but admits things are "all over the place" at the moment.

Another move? “You never know,” he says, “I think I should live in a caravan. I’ll buy one off Hunty (Stephen Hunt).”

The mood is good, though, McShane buoyed by his performances in the Nations Cup against Northern Ireland and Scotland, displays he hopes will have persuaded Giovanni Trapattoni to start him in Saturday’s European Championship qualifier away to Macedonia.

“Yeah, it’s been a good week, two good results, two clean sheets, really enjoyed the games. I felt I did okay, I’ve pushed a bit to play on Saturday, which is the main thing. The manager hasn’t said anything yet, he keeps these things in-house with Marco (Tardelli). I feel I’m in the frame, but you never know, things can change.”

If he does make the XI for Macedonia it will be his first competitive international appearance since that night in Paris, when he had the closest of views of Thierry Henry’s handball.

“Something so obvious, it was sickening,” he says, but he’s moved on.

His club career, though, is stuck in neutral again.

“It’s strange, very strange,” he says of his situation at Hull. “The manager (Nigel Pearson) says he wants me to stay for next season, but we’ll wait to see what happens. If you look at the team photo from last summer most of the players are gone, he wanted to bring in his own people, so I didn’t feel I had a chance. I don’t want to be in that situation again next season. I just want to be playing, so we’ll see.”

While he insists his club future hasn’t been on his mind since reporting for international duty, he’s hopeful his displays will have caught an eye or two.

“You’re always in the shop window as a footballer. Games are on the telly, it’s good for people to see you play – and hopefully well.”

Ireland’s Lionel Messi?

“I didn’t hear the fans chanting that, but I heard about it,” he laughs, when he recalls his “trick” in the build-up to Robbie Keane’s winning goal.

What do you call it? “The chop,” he says, “I wanted to top it off by scoring, I thought he’d slide it through for me, that’s why I kept running like a madman.”

Apart from the “chop”, the chief topic of conversation in the camp this week has been the withdrawal of a string of players, most notably Darron Gibson, James McCarthy, Anthony Stokes and Marc Wilson.

“It is a bit disappointing,” says McShane. “I don’t really know the situation, whether they’ve got injuries. But not just turning up? It’s bad for the team. You want players who want to play for their country. If they come back in I reckon the lads will just get on with it, you’ve got to try to keep a good atmosphere. But, yeah, it will be a bit unfair if they just fancy playing next time and turn up.”

Would he talk to them about it?

“I don’t know because it’s quite a touchy subject, maybe it would be adding fuel to the fire. But you never know, it might come up in conversation: ‘Where were you last time?’ We’ll play it by ear. To be honest, I don’t think they could have any complaints if they weren’t in the next squad, you can’t be picking and choosing games for your country.

“I’ll always turn up, no matter what. I’m just a diehard, I think. I love it, I love representing my country, it’s a big honour. I know it’s a cliche, but it makes me very proud. I feel like I’m representing my family, the people, whether you lot like it or not.”

The last words are accompanied by a grin. Has all the criticism over the years bugged him?

“Na, it’s grand, it’s part of the territory, you just get on with it.”