McAteer to skipper Ireland on 50th appearance

JASON McATEER will captain Ireland against Finland tomorrow to mark his 50th international appearance.

McAteer, who is 31, shares with Gary Kelly the distinction of being the most senior player in the squad of 16 to play Finland in a friendly in Helsinki.

The retirement of Steve Staunton after the World Cup left the position of captain open and it remains to be seen whether McAteer will continue to act in this capacity.

Manager Mick McCarthy yesterday said his elevation for this match was to honour his landmark achievement.

It is expected the regular job of captain will be filled by Matt Holland, Gary Breen or Mark Kinsella.

All three have experience of captaining their club teams and are regular first choice players for Ireland. But McAteer’s appointment is significant because he laboured during the World Cup under the effects of a serious knee injury and in the midst of his disappointment suggested he was ready to retire.

Said McCarthy: “Jason spoke publicly about his intention to retire but he cannot have been that serious because he never discussed it with me.

“He damaged ligaments in his knee while we were preparing for the World Cup and he would have played a bigger part but for that.”

McAteer sustained the injury in a warm up match against Hiroshima. He declared himself fit to play against Cameroon in Ireland’s first match but was withdrawn when it became obvious he was not fully fit.

“He was desperately anxious to play” said McCarthy, “and I have to be honest, I was as anxious as anybody else for him to play. I am glad he has not retired, he is a very youthful 31.”

Ireland travelled to Helsinki yesterday without Phil Babb, who was offered the opportunity to return to the squad for the first time in two years.

He was sent home from an Irish training camp prior to a World Cup tie against Estonia in Dublin after he and Mark Kennedy had been guilty of a breach of discipline.

McCarthy said: “He is very disappointed not to be able to join us. He played for Sunderland on Saturday but has a back problem and he must care for it.

“He had a very good season last season with Sporting Lisbon but he had not played any role in our qualifying for the World Cup so the other centre backs had jumped in front of him.”

McCarthy declined to call up replacements for players forced out of the travelling party but promoted Sunderland winger Thomas Butler from the U-21 squad to the senior panel.

The Ireland boss said he will start against Finland with Damien Duff partnering Robbie Keane up front.

The withdrawal of the injured Clinton Morrison may have influenced his decision but he said the Duff/Keane partnership remains his first option.

He said: “People can look at the goals for and they are free to assess it on those terms alone, but I look upon their partnership as the most productive from our point of view.

“Their partnership has created many problems for our opponents and the way they play suits this team.”

When asked if he was surprised with the amount of speculation as to Damien Duff’s future, he said: “Anyone who sat in on our conferences before and during the World Cup will know we always believed Damien’s ability did not need to be ‘talked up’. His potential was always obvious at underage level and he has fulfilled that potential, more than fulfilled it.”

McCarthy said he was disappointed World Cup stars such as Robbie Keane and Gary Kelly were not starting for their clubs.

He also spoke of Manchester United centre-back John O’Shea in these terms: “I know he has got into the United team because Rio Ferdinand is injured and I am pleased for him.

“But the fact is he was playing reserve team football prior to the World Cup and we had centre backs playing regular first team football who were ahead of him. John O’Shea is a very good player and he will come into the equation when he is playing regularly for United.”