Robbie at the ready

There were so many injury scare stories coming out of the Ireland camp this week that it was easy to forget that Robbie Keane had, briefly, provided the daddy of them all when the word came through from America that Ireland’s skipper and all-time record goal-scorer had suffered a hamstring injury playing for LA Galaxy on Montreal Impact’s artificial pitch.

“We’d played on astroturf and the same thing happened last year when I did my glut on astro and was out for three weeks,” he explained. “I’m still not used to playing on it and probably the body reacts differently when you’re used to playing on grass for so long. It tightened up after the game and I found I couldn’t sprint, even at three-quarter pace. It was then I went for a scan and, luckily, it showed there wasn’t a tear. But the physios decided to keep me out of the Chivas game the next Saturday because I could easily have pulled it.”

Still, Keane admitted that, before the scan eased his mind, there was a moment when he feared the worst.

“Of course. I knew it wasn’t too bad but I also knew there was something there. The physio said it was just a little nerve in the hamstring and now it has settled down well. I’ve trained the last few days and thankfully I’m okay.”

While Keane must first line out alongside Kevin Doyle against Bosnia this afternoon, he’s acutely aware that the nation’s focus is already on the three games coming up next month.

“I can’t remember the atmosphere being like this for a long time,” the veteran enthused. “I don’t remember the same feeling around the country in 2002 compared to now. If you asked me to name one song from 2002 I couldn’t, and now there seem to be about a 100 that everyone knows, like there were in ’88 and ’90. And I think that comes with how well we have done as a team since the manager has taken over. The expectation level has increased a hell of a lot and full credit to the players and staff for that.”

Keane says he fully understands the necessity of the squad’s long build-up to the Euros.

“I’m itching to get to the first game but he have to prepare properly and that’s what these friendly games and training camps are for,” he said. “This is normal procedure for any country. And we have a manger who has been through this more times than anyone in this room.”

One man for whom the experience is entirely new is Sean St Ledger, whose rapid recovery from a groin strain means he takes up his customary place in the heart of the Irish defence this afternoon. And while we all know where Keane was the last time Ireland qualified for the finals of a major tournament, St Ledger was initially at a loss to recall what he was up to that summer 10 years ago.

“I can’t remember what I did a couple of weeks ago never mind 10 years,” he mused. And then, with a chuckle it all came back to him. Or, some of it, at any rate. “I was 17 and I would have been in Magaluf on my first lads’ holiday 10 years ago. You’re making me feel old. Did I get to see any of Ireland’s World Cup games? No, I don’t think I did. But then I can’t remember much about that holiday to be honest.”

Now, he simply can’t wait to sample the real thing at first hand.

“It’s a strange one because I have thought about it so much and yet I don’t really know what to expect,” he said. “Everyone has told me stories about how the streets go quiet and the pubs are full and there’s a massive euphoria surrounding a major tournament. But because I have not seen it for myself it is a hard one for me to judge. But I do remember watching USA ’94 and the seas of green, and it’s a great sight to see. I’ve thought loads about the Euros, to be fair. It’s been such a long time since the Estonia game and now that it’s nearly here, it’s a dream come true, really, a dream come true.”