Givens: Players are too quiet, I need a Keane-type figure to shout and bawl

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND Under-21 manager Don Givens believes his side are crying out for a Roy Keane-type figure to shout and bawl at players.

Givens' squad are in the last-chance saloon with regards their UEFA Under-21 Championship qualifying hopes going into tonight's clash, with France at Turners Cross (7.45pm).

The Republic can still clinch a top-two place, but with three matches remaining, they trail second-placed France by six points and third-placed Switzerland by five.

Givens believes his side have lacked a natural-born leader throughout the campaign, with the players all too softly spoken for his liking.

"We've a bit of a quiet team," said Givens. "We don't really have anybody who pushes and pulls people around. We need a player like Roy Keane in our squad to get the players going.

"But it seems to be the way of the modern game these days, producing players who seem to be more concerned about taking responsibility for themselves.

"In my day, players had plenty to say for themselves and they were two a penny, someone like Frank McLintock being a prime example.

"I'm sure if we had that type of player in our squad then we would have done better because we have lacked concentration at vital times.

Meanwhile Reading's Kevin Doyle returns to the home of his former club tonight and will team up with Daryl Murphy of Sunderland.

While Murphy, late of Waterford Utd, has yet to feature for Mick McCarthy's Sunderland Doyle made a spectacular start to his career at Reading by scoring the winner against Burnley last week. Yesterday the Wexford born forward said he was aiming to atone for his country's 1-0 reversal against Les Bleus last October, when he was on the replacement's bench.

"It won't be easy against the French. I remember the last time we played them myself and Liam (Kearney) were on the bench. They scored a penalty in the last few minutes. We played well that night but hopefully we can overturn the result in the Cross."

Doyle is enjoying his time in England. "I had a good pre-season in Reading and got a few runs in the first team. The goal last week gave me a good boost so hopefully that will continue. It was tough going to another country, leaving your family and friends and the club that you've done well with. It will get tougher in the next few months but hopefully I will get better there."

There was bad news for Givens when Leicester City's Paddy McCarthy returned home due to an on-going ankle injury that failed to react to treatment over the weekend. Sean Dillon of Longford Town will take his place. Manchester United's Paul McShane, currently on loan at Brighton, was to travel originally but pulled out at the last moment due to injury.

Givens will wait until an hour before kick-off before naming his team, giving right back Kevin Foley every chance to recover from a knee ligament injury.

Steven Kelly will captain the side now without three key players McCarthy, Glen Whelan and Darren Potter who featured in the narrow defeat to the French last autumn.

Givens will have to contend with a host of top French footballers, though he's surprised Arsenal's Gael Clichy is not playing.

"They are all very good players," added Givens. "Excellent technically though you begin to wonder why the likes of Gael Clichy cannot get into the team. That tells you their level because he is an excellent player and doesn't look out of place when he plays in the Premiership with Arsenal.

Liverpool's Florent Sinama Pongolle and Sunderland's Le Tallec are also U21 so it just shows the talent they have in their squad.