Best’s timely Toon boost

FOR a player whose chief short-term ambition rests with his involvement in this summer’s European Championship finals, another major tournament, the Africa Cup of Nations, might just have come along at just the right time, as far as Leon Best is concerned.

Had Demba Ba, Newcastle’s 15-goal top scorer, not been away preparing for the latter it’s questionable whether Best would even have made his way into Alan Pardew’s side, let alone provided a timely reminder to Giovanni Trapattoni of his talents with his first goal for four months, taking his tally this term to four.

At this stage, his inclusion in the squad for the Republic’s Polish odyssey is far from guaranteed, but a few more goalscoring displays like this and the 25-year-old won’t harm his claims for inclusion as a fifth attacking option in the plans of the Italian, who, it is fair to say, still has to be convinced of Best’s credentials at the very highest level.