Kiely: Trap broke his promise

DEAN KIELY insists he has not quit international football with Ireland and has claimed Giovanni Trapattoni broke an understanding that he would not be called up just to sit on the bench.

The West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper walked out of the Irish squad for the end-of-season friendly against Nigeria at Craven Cottage in May when Trapattoni announced Shay Given would be given a 95th cap instead of the former Charlton keeper earning his 12th.

The Italian was keen to give Coventry’s Kieran Westwood his first cap and played him in the second half. Given was not expected to join the squad and when the pair were selected Kiely claimed Trapattoni had gone back on his word.

“I was invited back into the squad by Trapattoni, Liam Brady and [Marco] Tardelli,” he said.

“What came with that invitation was not a guarantee but they said they understood my situation before and that I didn’t feel I got enough caps.

“When friendly games came around there weren’t changes made and I didn’t get many opportunities.

“They said with this invitation comes the fact they knew about my previous situation and that wouldn’t occur going forward.”

The 39-year-old felt that he had given everything to the Ireland team without getting anything in return.

“I gave up my close season to go and be with Ireland and then the Nigeria game comes along and I am not involved,” he complained.

“When that understanding is broken, I am not a young lad starting out where I have to bow politely and take what I am given.

“I have a little bit of power in that I can say ‘Hold on’, if from a professional point of view this is not being delivered how it was dressed up. There was no big ranting or raving, fights, fall-outs or arguments.

“There was just a very calm, calculated decision to say: ‘I’d rather spend the close season with my family’, if the way it was sold to me was changed.”

Kiely insists he has not retired from international football but accepts he has probably done himself out of a trip to the World Cup in South Africa next year as he has not spoken to the Ireland boss since.

FA Cup first round draw: Gillingham v Southend, Grimsby v Bath, Gateshead v Brentford, Chesterfield v Bournemouth, Blyth or AFC Telford v Lincoln, Stockport v Tooting or Eastbourne, Burton v Oxford City, Barrow or Chester v Eastleigh, Oldham v Leeds, Lincoln Utd or Cambridge Utd v Ilkeston, York v Crewe, Wycombe v Brighton, Hereford v Sutton, Nuneaton v Exeter, Bristol Rovers v Southampton, Carlisle v Morecambe, Forest Green v Mansfield, Oxford Utd v Yeovil, Paulton Rovers v Norwich, Swindon v Woking, Port Vale v Stevenage, Luton v Rochdale, Bromley v Colchester, Accrington v Farborough or Salisbury, Millwall v Crawley or AFC Wimbledon, Stourbridge v Walsall, Shrewsbury v Staines, Wealdstone v Rotherham, Torquay v Cheltenham, Barnet v Darlington, Notts County v Bradford City, Huddersfield Town v Dagenham & Redbridge, MK Dons v Macclesfield, Rushden & Diamonds v Hinckley, Northwich Victoria v Charlton, Aldershot v Bury, Wrexham v Gloucester or Lowestoft, Hartlepool v Kettering or Redditch, Tranmere v Leyton Orient, Northampton v Kidderminster or Fleetwood.

Ties to be played 7 and 8 November 2009.