Kilbane urges veterans to stay

Kevin Kilbane has called on Ireland’s veterans to stay on and help the Boys in Green reach the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Ireland still have one game to play in the tournament, against Italy on Monday, but already the focus is on the future, amid speculation goalkeeper Shay Given is considering his international future. Fellow veterans such as captain Robbie Keane, Damien Duff and Richard Dunne are also now in their thirties and may also be pondering their options, but Kilbane, who won 110 caps for Ireland, feels the old stagers should stick around.

‘‘I hope the [finals] experience gives the players an appetite to push on and qualify for the 2014 World Cup too,’’ Kilbane said.

‘‘I really hope the team stays together to try to make Brazil. I have already heard reports that Shay Given is considering international retirement but I don’t think he should. He is the Republic’s number one, still playing in the Premier League with Aston Villa and still has a heck of a lot to offer to the squad as a whole.

“At 36, he is not a young man but he has a great attitude still has another three or four years left in him. I will probably be speaking to him in the next few days and I will say the same to him then.”

Questions about players’ futures are inevitable, Kilbane conceded but he feels the experienced players should not exit the stage on such a low.

“Those sort of questions are always asked of players at times like this when you come to the end of a tournament or qualifying campaign, especially these days when the trend is to retire from international football to prolong your club career,’’ said Kilbane.

“I think I was about 27 when I was first asked by a journalist whether I would be finishing playing for Ireland. Now, because they are all over 30, I am sure people like Robbie Keane, Damien Duff and Richard Dunne will be asked too.

“I wanted to play at the top level for as long as I could and I hope those guys feel the same way.

“They have been some of Ireland’s truly great players in recent times and I just hope they look at the Brazil World Cup as something to aim for as a final fling. Qualifying and playing in that would be a much better way to bow out, if that was what they wanted to do.”