Dean Kiely has returned to the international stage and warned people not to pay too much attention to his birth certificate.
The 37-year-old West Brom goalkeeper bristles at the veteran tag attached to players of his age, and insists he feels as good now as he did 10 years ago.
On current form, it would be difficult to argue with him.
Kiely will once again ply his trade in the Premier League next season after playing a key role on the Baggies' triumphant charge to the Championship title.
His contribution has not gone unnoticed by the new Irish management team, and while his club-mates headed off for their summer break still celebrating a momentous campaign, he packed his bags and flew out to Portugal with the Republic of Ireland squad for their end-of-season training camp.
For Kiely, who for so long played the role of under-study to number one Shay Given, Giovanni Trapattoni's call ended a self-imposed five-year exile from international football as he chose to concentrate on his club career.
It is a decision he does not regret, but he is equally untroubled by his u-turn and the prospects of forcing his way into the team.
Kiely said: "It is what it is. I will give consistent, reliable, dependable sorts of performances. In an ironic sort of way, the selfish decision I took all those years ago to maintain that good form is probably why I've been asked back, because I'm in good form physically and mentally at 37.
"I have a little bit of a chuckle when people say 'veteran'. I can't help what my birth certificate says — but I'm telling you now that I'm feeling as good now as I did a decade ago."
The call, when it came, came from Liam Brady, who along with World Cup winner Marco Tardelli is providing the back-up to Trapattoni.
Kiely said: "It's good to be involved. I got a shout quite a while ago, but I kept it under wraps. Liam just said I would add to the squad and add some experience because I've been around the block.
"I have found out over the past two or three years that if there's anything I want to do, then I will do it, and this felt right. I have said for a lot of years that I wouldn't do it, but when I had time for reflection, the decision suited me to come back into the fold, and I'm happy to come back into the fold."
As the senior member of a squad which has a youthful look about it because of the absence of the likes of the injured Given and the unavailable Robbie Keane, Richard Dunne and John O'Shea, Kiely is well placed to assess the new manager's impact, and is keen to hear what he has to say.
He said: "Certainly as an experienced player, you want to learn from managers and coaches and the different things that they do, different approaches to things.
"At the moment it's bedding in. I have been finding my feet around the manager. But he has got great presence about him and when he talks about football, you listen."
Kiely played 62 minutes of yesterday's 1-1 draw with Portimonese before being replaced by Joe Murphy, and will hope to get the nod for the forthcoming friendly clashes with Serbia and Colombia.
However, he is refusing to take anything for granted.
He said: "I don't dress it up to be anything more than it is. I have been invited to come and do my job. I'm not really getting too carried away about it. It is what it is. I will just try to remain consistent and get on with things, really."
