Soccer:Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni has rewarded Shane Long for his strong start to the season at West Brom with a starting place for tomorrow's vital European Championship qualifier against Slovakia, with Kevin Doyle the player to miss out.
The match will also mark the end of Kevin Kilbane’s 66-match run of competitive starts, with Wolves defender Stephen Ward named at left back for the game at the Aviva. Kilbane had been struggling with a back injury picked up during training on Monday and will return to Derby County for further treatment. Ipswich Town defender Damien Delaney has been called up in his place.
The rest of the line-up is along expected lines, with Shay Given passing a fitness test to take his place in nets, with John O’Shea named at right back and Richard Dunne and Seán St Ledger filling the central defensive slots.
Keith Andrew and Glenn Whelan have been named in central midfield, with the wide berths going to Aiden McGeady and Damien Duff. Robbie Keane will partner Long up front.
Wigan midfielder James McCarthy will also be called into the squad later this evening after he takes part in the Under-21 match against Hungary in Sligo.
Keane will skipper the side on Friday night and the 31-year-old LA Galaxy striker insists his Hollywood adventure will not lessen his hunger for success on the international stage.
“That’s not going to change. Just because I’m 10 hours away on a flight, it’s certainly not going to change my desire to play for my country.
“I had the same desire as I have now when I was 17 and the same commitment, so for me, it’s no different.
“I will just continue doing what I have been doing for the last 10 years, and that’s scoring goals. My record probably speaks for itself, so I’ll continue to do that.
“In the last two years, I have scored a lot of goals in the campaign, so I will just keep trying to do what I do for Ireland and do what I do best by scoring goals.”
Keane has made just two appearances to date for his new club, scoring in the first in a dream start, and admits he is yet to get to grips with life on the other side of the Atlantic.
He said: “It just happened so quickly, so I can’t really remember too much of it. I was off the plane and basically playing. It’s been so quick. I have been there only a week or so. Obviously, the weather is a little bit better than over here.”
Keane, who revealed he spoke to David Beckham before committing himself to the Galaxy, said he had not yet broached the subject of returning to play in Europe during Major League Soccer’s off-season as the midfielder has done. However, he admitted that as things stand, he is unlikely to follow suit.
He said: “I have only been there a short space of time, so I haven’t had the opportunity to have a chat, but at this stage, I would say not.”
However, all that matters to Keane for the next five days or so are crucial Group B clashes with Slovakia and Russia, who await Ireland in Moscow on Tuesday evening.
All three sides are currently tied on 13 points at the top of the table, and Keane is only too aware of what is at stake.
He said: “The feelings are obviously very, very high that we have a real chance of qualifying from the group. If you look at the way the teams are, we are up there and that’s the most important thing.
“These two games are going to be massive in the next five days and it’s important that we try to get maximum points and if not, not to lose any games. These two games will dictate whether we qualify or not.
“Winning games brings a winning mentality and confidence to the whole team. In the last year, we have certainly had this belief that we can win big games against big countries, and we have done that.”
Republic of Ireland (v Slovakia):Shay Given, John O'Shea, Richard Dunne, Seán St Ledger, Stephen Ward, Damien Duff, Keith Andrews, Glenn Whelan, Aiden McGeady, Robbie Keane and Shane Long.
