Premiership: Kelly eyes move to make sure of World Cup action

Gary Kelly has revealed he is willing to sacrifice his love for Leeds and a potential £500,000 testimonial windfall to pursue his dream of World Cup glory next summer.

The Republic of Ireland international is determined to be in Japan when Mick McCarthy’s side begin their Group E campaign against Cameroon on June 1, after having his appetite for football’s showpiece event whetted seven years ago when he took part in USA 94 at the age of 19.

But Kelly is acutely aware he is unlikely to be in McCarthy’s squad come selection time in May if he has spent most of the season keeping the bench warm, as he has done so far due to the form of Danny Mills.

Leeds right-back Kelly is now considering following the example set by Republic of Ireland team-mate Jason McAteer, and moving on to get the first-team football he needs in order to realise his ambition.

McAteer was a frustrated figure at Blackburn, prior to recently joining Sunderland and now the winger is looking forward to being an integral part of McCarthy’s plans.

Although Kelly made a second successive start for Leeds in last night’s UEFA Cup third-round win over Grasshoppers of Zurich, for the previous two months he had kicked his heels as an unused sub.

It has led to the 27-year-old also losing his place in the Republic team to Steve Finnan of Fulham, with Kelly coming on as a sub in the two play-off matches against Iran.

Not even a testimonial next season for the club’s longest-serving player, who is in his 11th season with Leeds, enters into Kelly’s thinking.

‘‘I’m not in it for the money,’’ said Kelly. ‘‘I love it here at Leeds and I’m here to play football, but in the past few months I haven’t been doing that and I’ve found it really hard.

‘‘I know I’ve my testimonial next season, but I’ve not really thought about it because all I want to do is play.

‘‘It’s been good getting some first-team games in, but I’ve no complaints. There’s no point in ranting and raving and crying to the manager because the team has been doing very well without me.

‘‘I lost my place through injury and it does then become frustrating, but you just have to keep your head down and when the opportunity comes, you do your job.

‘‘I’ll pull on the white shirt and play anywhere because I’m Leeds through and through, but I’m looking at going to the World Cup, and if I’m not playing then I won’t go, so I can’t afford to be on the bench.

‘‘Mick had a meeting with me and he’s made it clear I need to be playing regularly, but it’s the same for Danny Mills because if he’s not playing then he won’t go.’’

When asked whether he would consider moving to enhance his chances of playing in the World Cup, Kelly added: ‘‘We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.

‘‘But I’ve had a taste of playing for my country in a World Cup when I was 19, and believe me it doesn’t come much better than that, so to play in two at the age of 27 would be amazing.

‘‘Obviously, I’m in a similar situation to that which faced Jason McAteer, who also needed first-team football.

‘‘It’s the be-all and end-all. You need to be playing in the first-team otherwise you know you won’t be going to the World Cup.’’

O’Leary is convinced Kelly will not be leaving Elland Road, nor will he be swayed by McCarthy’s comments even though he understands the situation.

‘‘Gary is a good professional,’’ said O’Leary. ‘‘It has been hard for him not being in the team, but he has been an absolute credit to himself given the way he’s trained and the fact he has not sulked.

‘‘He’s always tried to help everybody, and there have been many times from the bench when I’ve heard him encouraging people out on the pitch.

‘‘But you need the competition for places, so there’s no way I will let him go, and he doesn’t want to go. He’s a testimonial coming up and he wants to be proud by taking that.

‘‘I don’t think Mick would dictate anything to me and if he dictated anything to the player then that still wouldn’t bother me because I will do what’s right for Leeds United.’’

Kelly is likely to start again on Sunday at Blackburn as O’Leary is without seven players through injury, while Alan Smith starts a three-match ban and Seth Johnson serves a one-match suspension.

The only ray of light for O’Leary is that Robbie Fowler is available after missing the game with Grasshoppers yesterday due to ineligibility, while Dominic Matteo returns to the centre of defence having recovered from an Achilles injury.