I could have played for the North, says record-breaker Given

SHAY GIVEN has revealed that the could have played for Northern Ireland – not that the IFA ever came looking for him or, for that matter, would have received a positive response if they had.

Given says he has no problem with players born in the North declaring for the Republic, something which is again a hot topic on both sides of the border with the recent defection of Everton’s Shane Duffy.

“I could have played for Northern Ireland,” said Given in the aftermath of earning a record-breaking 103rd cap for his country, against Brazil.

“My mother was from Castlederg in Tyrone. But if players come from the moon with an Irish grandparent and want to play for us, that’s fine. Go back to the Jack Charlton era, a lot of players were English-based with Irish grandparents and that was the most successful time for Ireland. We’ve got to look at all avenues to get as many players as we can. It’s up to the players to choose who they want to play for. We need to strengthen the squad.”

Asked how he’d feel about an All-Ireland team, the Lifford man said: “Look at rugby, they’re stronger with a 32-county outfit. I don’t know if it’s going to happen but you couldn’t rule it out.”

For Ireland’s debut boy James McCarthy, the whole experience was without precedent. And the Wigan midfielder relished every one of his 21 minutes on the park.

“It was brilliant,” he said. “To be in against players like Kaka and Robinho, it’s a dream come true. When the manager told me to warm up, I was nervous but when you get out on the park you block it out and concentrate on your game.

“To make my debut in the Premier League was special, to play against Brazil on my debut was another moment I’ll never forget. I kept my jersey and I’ll give it to my family.

“I wanted a Brazil top, Kaka or Robinho, but I wanted to keep mine.”

Meanwhile, Robbie Keane was at pains to play down the mystery of his late inclusion in the Ireland team on Tuesday after being withdrawn when he’d aggravated a knee injury in Sunday’s Old Firm game.

“I was injured after the game,” the Celtic man confirmed. “The knee, we were thinking it was going to react worse than it did. I didn’t train all week. There was no hidden agenda. I was out of the game because the club felt I wouldn’t be right. I only got the swelling down Saturday morning. And then I felt it a bit after the game. But the next day, I saw the physio and the knee was fine, there was no reaction, no swelling, no fluid, and I got the go-ahead. I got through no problem. I needed the 90 minutes. People made a bigger thing out of it than it was.”

Keane said that he is enjoying his time at Celtic – despite the 10-point gap which Rangers have opened up on them following victory last Sunday. But the Irish skipper says he still expects to return to White Hart Lane when his loan spell is up at the end of the season.

“I keep in touch, speak to the lads and I miss the tea ladies,” he grinned. “But I expect to be back as I’ve a three-year contract at the club.”

And, on the prospect of earning a ton of caps against Argentina next August, Keane declared: “I want to play every game for my country. If that’s the case, it would be fantastic. I love playing for my country but at the end of the day you want to win games.”