Keane no longer a guaranteed starter, admits Trapattoni

GIOVANNI TRAPATTONI has conceded that Robbie Keane’s position as first-choice Irish striker and captain is now under serious threat.

Unveiling his provisional 29-man squad for the February 8 Carling Nations Cup game against Wales, the Ireland manager said he was “disappointed” that Keane had yet to find a new club and expressed the hope that, with less than a week to go to the close of the transfer window, the Spurs man still had time to sort out his club future.

But while Trapattoni indicated that Keane would benefit from the boost in morale of being selected to play against Wales, his longer-term future in the green shirt now appears much less certain, with even his chances of playing 90 minutes in the European Championship qualifier against Macedonia in March contingent on the amount of game time he might get in between now and then.