Young Irelanders need Keane

BLACKBURN ROVERS’ midfielder, Steven Reid, last night emphasised the important role that Ireland’s top internationals Roy Keane and Damien Duff can play in the development of the many young players now being introduced to international football.

Reid, a late addition to a squad which travelled to Poland, spoke in enthusiastic tones about Keane's brief appearance at Ireland's training session prior to their departure to Poland.

"There was a buzz about the place with him coming back into the team," he said, "he was looking forward to playing in Poland but unfortunately he got injured, and I am sure he'll be back in the next squad."

It was interesting to hear the views of one of Ireland's younger players with so many contrasting rumours attending the circumstances under which Keane returned. For Reid it was all good news.

"This was one of the youngest teams that has been out there in recent years and with Roy Keane coming back he is going to be a big influence on the young players like myself coming through. Roy has shown at Manchester United what a big player he is and he can only be a positive influence on the young players.

"His is the biggest name in Ireland and when we go on our travels he can intimidate opposition players as well as give his teammates a lift. It has to make a difference having him there."

Reid is 23 and alongside him in Ireland's midfield against Poland he had Liam Miller, who is also 23, and Andy Reid (Nottingham Forest) who is 21. Little wonder he focused on the positive influence of Ireland having their most experienced players available.

"As well as Roy, Damien Duff has proved himself as one of the top players in Europe. If we can get everyone back fit then we are more than capable of beating anyone and we've got no-one to fear."

Reid has yet to live up to the promise he showed when he impacted impressively for Ireland during the World Cup finals in South Korea and Japan. A problem for him has been a sequence of injuries that curtailed his football over the past two seasons.

He pointed to the extent of his difficulties this season after the match in Poland when he said: "That was my first competitive 90 minutes in five months and it was good to get it under my belt.

"Hopefully now I'll be involved in the last few games of the season and look towards getting fully fit for next season. It has been a nightmare."

Manager Brian Kerr has been so busy stockpiling friendly matches that it is certain Reid will be given ample opportunity to fine-tune his fitness for next season and the kick-off of the World Cup qualifying series.

Ireland will play Romania in Dublin on Thursday, May 27, and the Netherlands in Amsterdam on Saturday, June 5. It is virtually certain they will play two matches in London in between, against Nigeria on Saturday, May 29, and Jamaica on Wednesday, June 2.

The matches in London have yet to be finalised but almost all arrangements are in place. The outstanding issue is a letter of confirmation from Charlton Athletic that their stadium at The Valley will be available.

Romania's 5-1 thrashing of Germany on Wednesday and the Netherlands' 4-0 whipping of Greece point to contests that will obviously be much more meaningful for Ireland in their development plans than was the match in Bydgoszcz. But that will only be the case if Ireland have most of their regulars available. That must be a matter of concern to Brian Kerr after his experiences in Poland.

It is right that the manager should have concentrated on the positive aspects of a very disappointing and low-key match because every international match is useful in some sense, particularly when you have as many young players as Ireland had in action.

Poland, unfortunately, were a long way removed from the marvellous side which represented them at the 1974 World Cup when they captivated the world with their flamboyant football. Their current team is pedestrian by comparison.

Ireland's established players were a step above them but there were so many inexperienced players in the Irish team it was unrealistic to expect too much in the way of a team performance.

The young players had the psychological benefit of coping with an international occasion outside of Dublin but it was inevitable their performances would fall short of the ideal. Above all it was not a day to apply too stringent an examination of Ireland's strength up front.

Clinton Morrison, who is 24, is still relatively inexperienced at this level and he will not be able to play to his limit until he is surrounded by Duff and Robbie Keane. In the absence of these and Ireland's other regulars, the value of friendly matches will always be limited.

There is no substitute, however, for matches if youngsters like Miller, the Reids, Morrison, Alan Lee, Graham Barrett, Jonathan Douglas are to graduate to the senior squad. Kerr's experiences in the European Championship, when he took over in the middle of the qualifying series and was left with no option but to stick closely to the team he inherited, proved that.

When it comes to team-building there is only one path open to an ambitious manager even if he has to be endlessly flexible the more, the merrier.