Roy: Ireland’s return would be ‘brilliant’ for Trap

A COUPLE of months back, Roy Keane ventured the opinion that Giovanni Trapattoni ought to sleep outside Stephen Ireland’s house if that’s what it was going to take to entice the Manchester City man back into the international fold.

Keane’s tongue might have been in his cheek but there was no doubting his high regard for the Cobh man whom he described as the best Irish footballer playing today. No surprise then that the Cork man has now responded enthusiastically to the news that Trapattoni and Ireland are planning to hold discussions as hopes rise that the absentee star will get back on board the World Cup express.

“It is absolutely brilliant news,” said Keane. “Ireland are doing very well anyway, but if they were to qualify, people like Ireland come into their own in the tight games.

“I don’t know what goes on in the background, and it is none of my business, but he is a bloody good player. Ireland don’t have the biggest squad in the world, and if a player is playing regularly for a team in the Premiership, scoring goals regularly, and setting up a lot of goals at Manchester City, then obviously he would be a big plus for Ireland.

“Fingers crossed that they qualify, and fingers crossed that Stephen Ireland could be a potentially top, top player. He seems to have a good head on him, and he seems to be training all summer. It is good news.”

But Keane did balk at the idea that a deadline for Ireland’s return should now be imposed by Trapattoni.

“It is dangerous setting people deadlines,” Keane said meaningfully, “trust me.”

The Ipswich manager also expressed the hope that some of his Irish contingent at Portman Road will impact on Ireland’s World Cup campaign.

“I hope that will be in the players’ minds — whether it is (Damien) Delaney or Owen (Garvan), Quinner (Alan Quinn) or Alex (Bruce). If Ireland were to qualify for the World Cup then they must think they have a chance of squeezing into the squad. If they are not doing well at club level they won’t be selected anyway and rightly so. I have had that argument before — unfortunately some players were selected no matter what they did at club level. But do the business at club level and you have a chance.”

Meanwhile, there was a boost for Finn Harps’ 17-year-old goalkeeper Ciaran Gallagher when, following an eye-catching display against Ipswich on Tuesday night, he was invited to train with Keane’s squad at Finn Park yesterday morning before the visitors departed the north-west. After Packie Bonnar and Shay Given, could another shot stopper be about to pop off the Donegal assembly line?