Injury rules Reid out of Staunton's first squad

ANDY REID will not be available for Steve Staunton's first Irish squad, after the Spurs winger suffered the recurrence of a knee ligament injury at Fulham on Tuesday night.

Reid, who was back in the Spurs starting line-up for the first time since sustaining the same injury at Middlesbrough in December, was forced out of the game following a tackle after just 20 minutes.

Spurs boss Martin Jol yesterday confirmed: "He has the same injury as before, a medial ligament problem and it seems to be worse, so he'll be out for four to six weeks. That's a big disappointment."

The injury means that Reid won't be available for the March 1 friendly against Sweden at Lansdowne Road which will mark new manager Steve Staunton's first game in charge.

Reid joins Manchester United's John O'Shea and Celtic's Aiden McGeady on the injury list as Staunton prepares to name his first Irish squad later this month.

Celtic boss Gordon Strachan claims that Roy Keane understands why he is not an automatic starter for the club he joined amid great fanfare from Manchester United. Celtic have conceded 16 goals in their last 11 games, but the Corkman was still left on the bench until the 89th minute as Celtic scraped past Motherwell 2-1 in the Scottish League Cup semi-final on Wednesday night.

Said Strachan of Keane: "He has been great, absolutely first class. I set out the rules when I first met him and he still wanted to come. There was a chance players would be left out, he understood that before he came."

But heads could roll as Strachan strives to find out why so many of his players did not rise to the occasion, with the Celtic boss admitting: "Motherwell were hungrier than us."

Meanwhile, the FAI in association with eircom, have launched the International Goal Of The Year competition, the winner of which will be announced at the eircom FAI International Soccer Awards on Sunday February 26.

Three goals have been shortlisted by a panel of judges from the Soccer Writers' Association of Ireland and the public are invited to vote for their own choice by phone or text. A trip for two to Germany for the Republic of Ireland's European Championship qualifier will go to the entrant whose choice matches the jury's final selection.

The three goals are: Robbie Keane v Israel in the World Cup qualifier at Lansdowne Road, June 2005; Clinton Morrison v Israel in the World Cup qualifier in Tel Aviv, March 2005; and Clinton Morrison v China in the friendly at Lansdowne Road, March 2005.

The goals can be viewed at www.eircom.net/total football and details of how to vote can be obtained at www.fai.ie or www.eircom.net or RTÉ Aertel Page 193.

The 16th annual eircom International Soccer Awards will be broadcast live from the Citywest Hotel on Sunday February 26.