STEVE STAUNTON yesterday conceded that he would not to be ready ford the Republic of Ireland's World Cup meeting with Iceland at Lansdowne Road a week tomorrow.
The Aston Villa defender notified Irish manager Mick McCarthy of his withdrawal from the squad after failing to prove his recovery from a torn hamstring, sustained a fortnight ago.
Earlier, Aston Villa manager Brian Little had ruled him out of his team's home game against Nottingham Forest today and set November 16th, when Villa take on Leicester City, as a possible date for his return.
"Steve is nowhere near ready at this point and it will be at least another 10 days before assessment of his situation," he said.
The setback comes at a bad time for Staunton who, after struggling with hamstring injuries in his other leg for much of last season, has played with his old authority in the current campaign.
"In the sense that nobody wants to miss out on a World Cup game, I am of course very disappointed, but the first priority is get my leg right again," he said.
"Some of my problems last season were down to the fact that I came back too soon from the first hamstring tear. That's not going to happen this time and if I don't feel ready for the Leicester game, I'll wait until the match with Coventry the following week.
"There are a lot of important games still to be played in club and international football this season and I want to be certain that the problem has cleared before I come back."
The news will disappoint McCarthy, who had included Staunton in his squad on the strength of preliminary reports from the Aston Villa physiotherapist, Jimmy Walker last Monday.
McCarthy will wait until after the weekend club programme in England before deciding if he will call up a replacement. If there are no further casualties, the likelihood is that he will fill the vacancy in the team from the existing squad.
His fortunes have declined since the change of manager ship, influenced more by the new priorities in McCarthy's back three formation than his form at Liverpool. He was rated as a pivotal player in the Irish team in the old regime, but has recently found himself surplus to requirements.
A second, more exciting solution, perhaps, would be to play Roy Keane alongside Gary Breen and his Manchester United clubmate Denis Irwin, in defence, a move which would have the additional merit of enabling Jason McAteer to keep his place in central midfield.
Keane, due to return after an eight month absence from the national team, has never filled a defensive role for Ireland but he has played there on occasion with Manchester United.
Paul McGrath of the players on stand by it McCarthy decides to bring the squad back to full numerical strength, plays for Derby County against Leicester today.
