Kerr hopes for Finnan miracle cure

BRIAN KERR will wait until later today at the earliest before making a final decision on the availability of Steve Finnan for tomorrow’s World Cup game against Israel at Lansdowne Road.

However, the manager admitted yesterday that the Liverpool player's condition remains "extremely doubtful", as he struggles back in Liverpool to recover from the thigh injury which he aggravated in the Champions' League final.

There was better news regarding Gary Doherty, who could be called into action off the bench tomorrow, as an MRI scan conducted yesterday revealed no significant injury to the knee he jarred in training on Wednesday. "We are hopeful that he will be fit to be considered for selection on Saturday," said Kerr, after a squad training session at Malahide.

Meanwhile, Israel manager Avraham Grant said he expected that goalkeeper Dudu Aouate, who is recovering from an elbow injury picked up in training, would be fit to play against Ireland.

Grant also hinted heavily that he would opt for freshness over experience as he looks to replace Tal Ben Haim in the Israeli defence. The 83-capped Alon Harazi is set to miss out, as Grant hands Avi Yehiel his first senior cap after ten appearances for his country's U-21s. "We have had players playing for the first time in France with 80,000 people watching so it's something our players are capable of dealing with," said Grant.

Of his side's excellent progress in the group so far, the Israeli manager said: "We haven't reached the highest levels yet but we are coming to Ireland with an equal number of points as France at the top of the group. None of the big four have won against each other at home or away and we are one of the big four now. Even though we know that Ireland are better than us theoretically" On the significance of Roy Keane's absence, Grant pointed out: "Israel has only one Premier League player where Ireland has all Premier League players, therefore they always have good substitutes within the team."

And then he added, with a smile: "Roy Keane is one of my favourite players."

The manager agreed that the success of this Israeli team has captured the public imagination at home.

"We saw in the week that Israel played Ireland and France that all the tickets were sold out for the games which is unheard of in Israel," he said. "The success of the Israeli football team is definitely felt by all and I hope that his will be a good sign for the future."

Asked about the planned protests by pro-Palestinian groups around tomorrow's game, he remarked: "As the manager, I deal with football. All I can say is that we have a wonderful country and you are welcome to come and visit us there. Sometimes what you see from afar is not exactly what's going on in the place itself. So sometimes people far away don't always do what they should be doing. But we are used to this. However, I would prefer to get back to football."

So does he consider tomorrow's game is a must-win for Israel? "We always need to move forward. It's obvious Ireland who have to win more than we do in a home game.

"Ireland is definitely one of the better teams today in Europe and we value highly what they have done since they won the European Youth Championships. They have become a great team and we would like to follow in their footsteps by building up a team to be as good as the Irish."

But, that diplomatic flourish over, the Israeli boss added with a grin: "But obviously we would like to take the points on Saturday."