Colgan ready to grasp chance with both hands

IT WOULD be easy to forgive Nicky Colgan if he were to suggest patience was an exaggerated quality in a goalkeeper.

But he is more likely to champion its importance after a career that has made extreme demands upon his pragmatic nature.

Colgan is 29 and only now has he established himself as a regular member of Ireland’s international squad. It is an achievement that deserves applause, however, if only because he has had just four seasons of first-team football at club level.

Colgan, you see, was with Chelsea for eight years and in all that time he played only one game for the first team, against West Ham. Not until he moved to Hibernian in Scotland in 1999 was he rewarded with regular first-team football.

Little wonder then that his introduction to the Irish squad and his swift elevation to the number two spot after the rapid-fire retirements of Alan Kelly and Dean Kiely left him in philosophical mood at Ireland’s training camp yesterday.

The subject under discussion was Shay Given’s injury ahead of Saturday’s European Championship qualifier against Albania. “I would hate to win a cap because Shay or any other player was kept out by injury” he said.

“I’m quite prepared to play away as number two and work to get into the side on merit. I thought I did well when I came on against Norway. I hope Shay’s injury is not serious but if necessary I will be ready.”

Colgan went to Chelsea from Drogheda Boys’ club in 1991. He was loaned out to Bournemouth for a season in 1998 and signed by Hibs in 1999 without being given a first team game at Bournemouth.

He laughed at the thought of the reaction of thousands of Celtic fans in Ireland to his views on Rangers’ successful manager Alex McLeish.

“I have a lot to thank him for” he said.

“He gave me my chance at Hibernian and showed the confidence in me I needed at that time.”

Colgan’s contract at Hibernian has a year to run but, along with four or five other top players, he was told at the end of the season he could go on a free transfer if any club sought his signature.

He said: “A lot of the clubs in Scotland are in financial trouble, even the Old Firm clubs are struggling. I have not heard anything yet and I will be quite happy to spend the next year at Hibs if necessary.

"But I am prepared to go and play anywhere, in England, on the Continent but not, I suppose, in Tbilisi.”

His reference to the Georgian capital was clearly meant to recall the aggravation the Irish players experienced there in March and he knife-throwing incident when Kevin Kilbane was hit.

He laughed when it was suggested McLeish might look to recruit him for Rangers.

“I don’t think my wife would mind” he said.

“Caroline is English and she is not likely to object. But I do not think I could ever go back to live in Drogheda again if I was to sign for them.”