Hot Kilbane ready to roast Brazil

SAMBA week, the world champions are in town, and Kevin Kilbane is as chirpy as a canary.

Everton might be skirting dangerously around the relegation area, but it is not for lack of effort on Kilbane’s part. Never one to shy away from toil, if half the Everton side grafted as much as Kilbane, they might climb out of trouble. He has been collecting man-of-the-match plaudits in three of Everton’s past five games.

It could nearly be argued that the winger is going through the richest vein of form in his career.

“It is great just to be playing regularly”, Kilbane, who was in jovial humour, affirmed. “But, it is not good if you are playing well and we are still down at the wrong end of the table. The team hasn’t been playing as well as it can do. People have talked about my own form, and it probably is my best spell of form for the past couple of years, but that doesn’t matter if the team aren’t winning games”.

One factor evident in the re-birth of Kilbane as a player is David Moyes. The two have known each other since their Preston days, and Kilbane accepts the influence the intense Scot has had on his career. “He knows a lot about me and that helps. But, it also means I have to prove myself an awful lot more than other players and that is what I have been trying to do each week at Goodison, trying to prove myself”.

There will be no better stage for Kilbane to prove himself than against the world champions tomorrow night. Excitement is starting to build in the Irish camp at the prospect of the two Ronnies et al. And Kilbane isn’t immune. “I am looking forward to it, I think the whole squad is. This is Brazil. They are the world champions. I am sure they will be up for it, they are always up for it and they are coming to Dublin to prove they are the best”.

Although Kilbane’s mind is focused on keeping Everton in the Premiership at present, he is not looking towards the summer with too much glee. It promises to be empty for most Irish players. There is the US Cup, but that is scant consolation when the rest of the world have eyes on Portugal. Kilbane recalled the pain of missing out on Euro 2000, but says it will motivate the team more when it comes to the World Cup qualifiers.

“It was not a nice experience missing out on the last European Championships and it is not something I want to repeat, having to watch it on telly and this time is going to be even harder because we know we let ourselves down. But it will provide us with extra motivation for the World Cup qualifiers. We owe Switzerland a beating but it is a tough group, with them, France and Israel. I still think we are good enough to qualify”.

Kilbane, a stalwart of the McCarthy era, is becoming somewhat of a veteran, despite only being 27. He is beginning to realise he has to shoulder more responsibility now, and feels a tingle at some of the vibrant new talent that Kerr has brought in. “There are so many talented players coming through. Andy Reid, for example, is such a talented player. When you look at some of the younger lads, the sky is the limit in terms of where we can go.

I suppose I have to help these younger lads settle. I am 27 now, so I am getting on a bit and it is time to take more responsibility on my shoulders. Packie Bonner pointed out to me after the last World Cup that I need to take more responsibility on my shoulders.

“But it is not just about the young players, I think we have the right blend of youth and experience now. If there has been a better defender than Kenny Cunningham in the Premiership this season, I haven’t seen him”.

Speaking of growing up, Jason McAteer was welcomed back into the squad with open arms this week. Comments were made in Portmanock that the cheeky chappie wasn’t so cheeky anymore. “It is nice to have Jason back in the squad.

“He is such a good character to have around, a really good lad for the fellas to be around. I think he has taken to the extra responsibility Mick has given him at Sunderland, he is club captain there now and he seems to be relishing the role. He has a baby boy now, all those things add to his maturity”.

Times are changing. The maturity of Jason McAteer, Kevin Kilbane banging in goals for fun. This isn’t any old international week.