Estonia star Piiroja gets his shot at the big time

MUCH has changed around these parts since Raio Piiroja and Robbie Keane first met as young men a decade ago but not enough to make the Estonian captain forget his place at the world football table.

Now 32, and five times Estonia’s player of the year, Piiroja fondly remembers World Cup battles with Keane at a time when Ireland werealways expected to beat their Balticopponents.

The boot will be on the other foot come Friday night’s return to the Le Coq Arena in Tallinn as far as many are concerned, not least the Irish manager Giovanni Trapattoni.