Miller warms up after Celtic chill

CELTIC MIDFIELDER Liam Miller has paid tribute to the Hoops' supporters among the Lansdowne Road crowd for the warm welcome they gave him on his international debut on Wednesday.

The 23-year-old, who has signed a pre-contract agreement with Manchester United, was the subject of Celtic fans' wrath after his move became public knowledge in January.

Miller returned to the team in the UEFA Cup second leg against Barcelona at the Nou Camp last week before making another substitute appearance in the Old Firm win against Rangers at Ibrox on Sunday.

But Miller has thanked the many Hoops' fans in the Dublin crowd who cheered him on the field as a replacement for the injured Gary Doherty on his debut under Brian Kerr.

Miller said: "It was definitely a lovely feeling to get such a warm reception when I came on. There were probably a lot of Celtic fans at Lansdowne Road as well, but they were Irish fans on the night. It was really nice for me.

"It was third time lucky I suppose. I was delighted to get the call and just to be a part of everything. It's been a bit of a stop-start time for me recently and I don't know if Brian thought I'd be fit enough.

"It's been an exciting week from Airdrie Stadium to the Nou Camp to Ibrox and now this it's been nice.

"Getting onto the pitch was definitely one of the proudest moments of my life. I've always dreamed about it and it came true. The best moment of the night, I suppose, was just coming on and being involved with the rest of the players."

But Miller is now determined to maintain the momentum.

"It would be nice to stay involved with the team. But I've to keep playing at club level and doing well there to get picked at international level. The European games have definitely helped me cope with international football because I'm playing against better players.

"But international football is the best level you can play at and it can only help me improve as a player.

"In the Czech game there was a confidence in the players the way we passed the ball, kept possession and produced an end product as well.

"These are definitely exciting times for the Irish team and I'd love to be a part of it."

Niall Quinn knows it is only a matter of time before Robbie Keane smashes his Republic of Ireland goalscoring record and he is urging him to "go on and double it".

Former Ireland striker Quinn left the record standing at 21 when he retired from international football following the 2002 World Cup.

Tottenham striker Keane moved to within just two of that tally when he grabbed his 19th goal by scoring the winner at Lansdowne Road.

"I am delighted for Robbie," said Quinn. "He has really matured into a top class player and his predatory instincts came out against the Czechs. There were three defenders around him ... but he managed to find the space and score like he always does.

"I hope he doubles my record and it will be great for Irish football if he gets to 40 goals, and I mean that, genuinely.

"I wouldn't say Robbie is the key to Ireland's future but he is certainly a very important part of what should be some good times ahead because he is coming into what should be the best time of his career."

Brian Kerr also paid his tribute to Keane: "Robbie is a very good player and I thought we saw the whole mixture of him against the Czechs. Some of the stuff he did with Damien Duff, Clinton Morrison and Andy Reid was on a different level.

"He has an amazing brain of trickery, but to come up with the goal is the key - he has scored so many at Lansdowne from positions where it is only a half-chance when he initially gets the ball.

"I am delighted for him. He is on 19 goals already and he is still only 23 so there are a few years left in him and a few more goals to come.

"Our previous strikers were a bit older than Robbie when they got to 19 international goals, although we are playing a lot more matches now."