Soccer/World Cup Qualifying 2006: While Swiss coach Jakob Kuhn is insisting the likely presence of Roy Keane in the Irish midfield tonight is of no particular interest to him, his main focus, he claims, being on the taming of Damien Duff, Brian Kerr spoke yesterday of the benefits of having Keane back on board.

"We're delighted to have him here, we're delighted that he's fit," said the manager. "In the last couple of days he's had an influence and an impact on the other players. I've seen him spending time talking to individual players.

"He may be talking to them about the price of houses in Cork, or whatever, but he would seem to be taking on that role of being the experienced guy helping the less experienced players and I'm more than happy to see that."

"He did say to me in our conversations, when he expressed an interest in coming back, that he thought he had a role to play among some of the younger, newer players that had come in the squad. That's what he's doing, that'll do for me."

Are you seeing a different side to Roy, a more mellow side? "Well, I never saw the 'unmellow' side," he laughed, "but our time together has been quite short. I haven't seen any other side than the one I'm seeing now.

"I would imagine this group is the youngest or the least capped group he's played with, so it's an obvious enough role for him to have. All the staff are more than happy for him to have that role. He has the experience and the understanding of what's required to win major games."

"It's brilliant having him back," said Damien Duff, "but I've always wanted him back, even since Saipan. He's a great player, everyone knows that, and he's added something special to the team."

Despite all the talk of Duff being a doubt for the game he insisted his participation has never been at risk. The calf injury?

"Grand, not a bother," he said. "It hasn't been a problem. I had a few kicks at the weekend but I don't know where all this talk has come from, I've been 100 per cent since the game on Saturday. So, no bother."

Brian Kerr said on Monday you were 50-50? "Ah, rumours, you know. I wanted to train yesterday but they didn't want to risk it, but I'll be raring to go."

While his manager has urged the players to forget about their last experience in Basel, that defeat is still a considerable source of irritation for Duff. "It wasn't even the result that was annoying, it was the manner in which we went out," he said.

"I think over the years the Irish spirit has become well known but there was a severe lack of it that night, I don't know what it was, just none us performed, individually or together. So we definitely owe them one, but we don't want to be going in to the game running around like headless chickens, desperate to put one over on them. We have to be calm and do the business."

And, said Duff, he wouldn't be surprised if one of the players to "do the business" is Andy Reid. "He's been on fire since he came in, he's just getting better and better. Fair play to him, he's only a young lad. He's done brilliantly."

You're not exactly old yourself - do you feel like one of the senior players now?

"Well, yeah, I feel old. I suppose I have become one of the older players because we have such a young squad now, hopefully we're building something special that will be around for the next five to 10 years."

Had Duff been conscious of the presence of his Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho, in the crowd at Lansdowne Road last Saturday?

"I was, yeah, it was a bit weird. I've only had half an hour under him this season. I knew he was there to see how I was getting on. I was happy enough with how I did, I felt great, but I had a bit of cramp towards the end - I never get cramp so it must be because I'm not match fit, I don't know. We'll see when I get back whether he was impressed or not."

Tonight, then? "Well, a lot of people say we'll be happy with four points from the first two games, but we'd be happier with the six. We're definitely not going out looking for a draw, I don't think we're a team that can play like that. We'll look for the win, please God we'll get it, but a draw wouldn't be the worst thing in the world."