Keane in shock return

thejollyrodger

Keane in shock return

EXCLUSIVE
DION FANNING

http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=94&si=1244808&issue_id=11377
Sunday Irish Independent

ROY KEANE could be set for a sensational return to the Ireland squad to face Switzerland on Wednesday.

It is believed that Keane hopes to return for Ireland's crucial match in Basle, but he may yet incur the wrath of Alex Ferguson and be forced to change his plans. The Manchester United captain pulled out of the Ireland squad with cracked ribs which were expected to rule him out of both international matches.

But sources in Dublin indicated last night that Keane would join the Ireland squad today and travel with the party to Switzerland tomorrow.

Keane's return will be a massive boost for manager Brian Kerr following Ireland's 3-0 victory against Cyprus yesterday.

If Keane returns, the Ireland manager will be able to bolster his midfield with the former Ireland captain for a match his team cannot afford to lose.

Despite impressive performances from Kevin Kilbane and Graham Kavanagh, Keane would automatically return to the first team if he is fit to play.

It will raise questions, yet again, about Ferguson's happiness at Keane's decision to return to international football. With the Champions League set to resume in 10 days, his club manager would not wish to see Keane exerting himself for another cause. But it appears Keane may have got his way.

Meanwhile, they were determined to have a party at Lansdowne Road yesterday. After the game, with three points on the table and Robbie Keane equalling Niall Quinn's goalscoring record on a beautiful summer's day, there was some excuse, but by then the soiree was moving elsewhere.

Instead the need to create an atmosphere, the idea that great days of sport can be planned on a bulletin board three days beforehand, saw Lansdowne Road subjected to a level of noise torture before the game not seen since General Noriega woke up to find the US marines outside his window, playing Motown and trying to flush him out.

There was some sympathy for the general yesterday and some envy at the marines' choice of music. The booming Celtic sounds chosen to make yesterday's match a magical occasion appeared only to keep the crowds away until the last moment.

Far from inspiring the 36,000 capacity crowd to orgiastic levels of noise, the bombastic PA shocked them all into silence and they watched quietly as Ireland began their attempts to qualify for Germany in 2006.

Only when their ears had cleared did they obey the stadium announcer's command to "make some NOISE!"

But there were signs yesterday that this Irish team has no need for gimmicks as they attempt to qualify from a group containing France, one of the most feared teams in Europe. They may soon rouse the crowd without artificial stimulation and there is a now clutch of players in this Irish squad who are capable of doing it.

Last November, Andy Reid was called into the Irish panel for the game against Canada. It was a low-key friendly, a month after the scarring experience of Basle when Ireland lost their chance of playing in the European Championship. The atmosphere was subdued, occasionally mutinous as some players wondered at the path chosen by Kerr and began to question his methods.

Reid was having a fine time at Nottingham Forest and he walked in full of confidence even though the squad apparently had no need for any more left-sided, tricky players.

But Reid is now an automatic choice, his case underlined again yesterday - albeit against poor opposition - when he provided the creative impetus for an attacking Irish display.

Kerr may make changes for the game on Wednesday in Basle (he wanted four points, he now has three of them) but, if Reid and Damien Duff do not start on the flanks against Switzerland, it will only be because Duff has moved up front. Reid will not be sacrificed.

Cyprus was not a test that will be of much use when Thierry Henry is running at Ireland's defence in October. There are more searching times ahead for Ireland, but Kerr will be encouraged by the confidence Ireland showed and the commitment-honed throughout the months of friendlies-to the passing game.

Graham Kavanagh, making his first competitive start at the age of thirty, harnessed Ireland to that passing game with a performance that suggested he has no intention of making way when Roy Keane returns. Cyprus are at the other end of the scale to France. A young side with five players in the starting line-up yesterday with ten caps or less, they began the game with as much hope as they are likely to have over the next 12 months. They had no points, but neither did anybody else.

It took half an hour for that hope to evaporate when Clinton Morrison ended a gruelling ordeal of ten matches without scoring for his country with his sixth international goal.

Kerr went out of his way to praise Morrison after the game, but the striker has rarely looked international class and he may be the player who loses out if the manager makes changes for Wednesday's game.

After equalling Niall Quinn's goalscoring record achievement, Keane dedicated it to his father, Robert, who died in April of last year.

Robbie Keane will be expecting to start in Basle, but, despite equalling the record, Keane will be required to give a lot more than he did yesterday.

The Spurs player completed his first 90 minutes since he was injured in Tottenham's pre-season friendly against Rangers last month, but his lack of sharpness cannot wholly excuse a performance depressingly familiar to all who have watched him regularly for his country.

Kerr defended him from the groans of a crowd who grew tired at his repeated and pointless attempts to dummy the ball when a simple lay-off would have been more effective. The manager felt his front pair worked well, but Keane will not be able to give the ball away as frivolously against the Swiss.

Yesterday was a chance for Keane to play his way back to fitness and form; now he may have to do it in Basle, where he, along with so many others, disappointed last October.

There are more reasons to be cheerful now. Ireland go to Basle a more confident side, bristling with energy - and that is just Reid and Duff.

All eleven will be called into play against the Swiss and Ireland have a chance of real achievement. Let's hope so because they badly want a party at Lansdowne Road.

(funny that, people are giving out that just some dum hyperlink is posted instead of the actual article)

zAbbo

is there a link to that article, bloody sick of seeing page long posts that are just copied from some news site

wynters

I prefer being able to read the article without having to go looking for it.

Good man Jollyrodger!

redspider

I think its ok to post *relevant* text from an article to make a point as well as the link.

In this case there was no need to include any text from the article that was not about Roy's competitive return.

As for his return. I'll believe it when I see it. I reckon though he will be back for Man U in time - funny that. Roy missing international matches through injury and not club matches, who would have believed it (sic)?

I also think that Roy has not played great for Ireland in the friendly matches that he did play and the players did not miss him yesterday. If anything, all this Roy-ness can be a distraction.

Bateman

Roy Keane brings something to this Irish team that no other player can. For God's sake, just because we beat Cyprus 3-0 with Kavanagh and Kilbane in the midfield, doesn't mean we can face a tricky game away to Switzerland without him.

Pigman II

Keane : a miracle of modern science!

If were due an arduous trip to somewhere like Iran then you bet your life he be up on the treatment table with an injured toenail. On the other hand if we were playing the World Cup final you could amputate both his legs the day beforehand and he'd have grown them back in time for kick-off. :rolleyes:

Dewey

It was only last week he was ruled out for 3 weeks and wasnt coming back until the Liverpool game. I'm shocked. They really can do great things at United.lol. I wonder if Fergie said you need a rest Roy, miss the Cypus game and you can go for the Swiss game.

Anyway its good news for Ireland and bad news for the Swiss.

gandalf

I doubt Sir Alco wants him to play the Swiss game at all. Maybe this is Roys way of requesting that Pension boaster transfer to Celtic

As for the match we need to go for the win. France have slipped up and we need to get as many points as possible. One thing is for sure our strikers cannot be as wasteful as they were on Saturday. Robbie has to stop all the fancy stuff like the dummies etc around the box and Clinton has to hold the ball up properly.

With Duffer and Reid running at the Swiss I am confident that we can win this match and get some daylight at this early stage between ourselves and our main rivals in these Qualifiers.

jesus_thats_gre

Would also be typical for him to miss a walk over team like Cyprus but not the Swiss..

typical

Bateman

Agreed, if Robbie Keane screws his head on, and sheilds the ball rather than assuming everyone else is thinking the same wacky stuff he's thinking, and if we get basic ball retention right, we will win. Very tempting at 9/5!

GuanYin

If he has any sort of an injury, I'd rather see him miss the Cyriot game and come back for the swiss game, so that suits me fine.

That said, if he has any sort of an injury, I'd rather see him fully fit for France...

The Rooster

The last game Roy played was 21 August. His ribs were checked out and the problem was discovered, and the first match he missed was on Wednesday 25 aug.

If he plays on Wednesday that will be 2.5 weeks out. In anybody's language thats in and around 3 weeks.

Hard to believe that people can still criticise him! Woudlnt it be much easier to finish his recuperation in Manchester. Instead he's going to have to take 4 flights Manchester - Dublin x 2 and Dublin - Basel x 2, and play a tough world cup qualifier. Not the ideal option from a Manchester United point of view, especially given how poorly they've played without him and that they need him badly for the upcoming 3 games (1 game in CL and 2 in league v Bolton and Liverpool - teams with a better record than most against MU in recent years).

Its great news for Ireland that he is available for such a big game. End of story (by the way, I still hate Demento Ferguson! :mad: )

eirebhoy

I was expecting to see a load of praise for Keane for coming back earlier than advised but people are slating him. Roy may not be as important as before but he must know something about Fergie that nobody else does. I can't believe Ferguson first of all allowed him back to international football, than play in friendlies and now play when not fully fit.

Its great news altough dampened by the injury to Duffer and O'Shea. A partnership of Keane and Kavanagh (in his best position which he has never played in under Kerr) would be superb.

andyman

And luckily for Ireland Kenny Cunningham, who missed the last game against the Swiss through suspension, is also going to play unless he injures himself.

Im thinking Keane and Kavanagh in the midfield.

PHB

I wish Duff would stop getting injured