O’Shea set for United reward

JOHN O’SHEA can look forward to a new Manchester Utd contract when he returns from his well-earned holidays next month.

The 22-year-old Waterford man capped a fantastic season with club and country on Wednesday night by picking up the man-of-the-match award for his performance in the Republic of Ireland’s 2-0 Euro 2004 qualifying win over Georgia at Lansdowne Road.

And despite signing a new contract with the Old Trafford club only last year, O’Shea can expect to return from holidays to open talks about a new, improved deal, believed to be worth around £25,000 a week.

“We’re in talks,” O’Shea admitted.

“But I couldn’t really ask for anything else, the way this season has finished. The last two months have been a dream. But I’m glad it’s over now and I’m looking forward to a break. I’ve played close to 60 games this season and my lungs are feeling it; I’ve never done it before but I’m looking forward to doing it again next year.

“Everyone seems to be quite happy with me. It was Alex Ferguson’s decision to play me in all those games so he must have been happy. I’ve played some internationals in the middle of that and I think Brian Kerr was happy, so it was a very satisfying season for me.

“Normally the manager might give me a game or two followed by a rest but he felt he needed to keep putting me back in. We had some big games and I played a part in nearly all of those.

“We were a good bit behind Arsenal and had to play Liverpool, Newcastle and then the Gunners, so it was a big moment for me when manager said ‘we’re going to need you for all of those games’.

“There was no way I could have predicted what has happened.

“I think I played 12 games last season and I was hoping to get up around the mid-20s this season. That would have been a good progression, but to quadruple the figure from the season before, and have a Championship medal at the end of it all, has just been fantastic.”

Whether O’Shea will be performing alongside David Beckham or not is open to speculation, although the defender believes the England captain will be back at United’s Carrington training complex after the summer break.

“It’s been very unfair on him,” O’Shea said. “The Barcelona presidential race is on and Becks is just getting caught in the middle of it. But I’m sure when pre-season starts he’ll be a Man United man.”

While O’Shea’s future is being mapped out with reassuring certainty, his international team-mates face a summer break full of uncertainty. No fewer than seven of the Irish players on duty during this round of qualifiers are being linked with moves to new clubs in the close season.

The most talked about is Damien Duff, who sat out Wednesday night’s win, with both Liverpool and Manchester United expected to make Blackburn Rovers an offer they can’t refuse.

But it’s a step down from the superstar level for most of Brian Kerr’s out of contract players.

Midfielder, Matt Holland has seen Ipswich Town agree a fee with Portsmouth for his services, although he has yet to agree personal terms. Kerr’s predecessor, Mick McCarthy, is being linked with many of them, reportedly looking to stage a reunion with defender Gary Breen and Wimbledon striker David Connolly at the Stadium of Light as they begin life back in Division One.

Midfielder, Colin Healy, who was awarded his first cap by McCarthy but omitted from his World Cup squad, is another player linked with a move to the Wearside but the soon to be out of contract Celtic man is keeping his cards close to his chest. Both Everton and Leeds are also in the hunt and offering Premiership football to the ambitious 23-year-old.

Healy, who becomes a free agent on June 25, said: “It didn’t happen for me at Celtic but all I want to do now is get a club and be playing first-team football every week. It’s a priority for me now. I have a few options but nothing concrete. I’m going home to Cork to talk with my family and with my agent.”

Ireland’s goal-scoring man of the moment, Gary Doherty, is another under scrutiny following his performances against Albania and Georgia this week. Premiership new boys, Leicester City, are said to be throwing their hat into the ring as potential suitors for the Tottenham squad man alongside Division One rookies Cardiff City, who are managed by Doherty’s former boss at Luton, Lennie Lawrence. It is believed £1.5 million will be enough to persuade Spurs to sell.

Back at Sunderland, McCarthy has told Kevin Kilbane that he is up for sale, although the left-winger is not so sure.

“It’s been spelled out to me that if the right offer comes in then I will be sold. There are other players at the club who have been told the same. But I can’t see myself being sold, to be honest with you, and I’m just looking forward to going back and being a Sunderland player.”