McCarthy happy with Quinn in reserve

Niall Quinn will be kept on the bench when the Republic of Ireland face Saudi Arabia on Tuesday and then unleashed late on as Mick McCarthy’s secret weapon.

There have been calls for the Sunderland striker to start against the Saudis in Yokohama to help Ireland claim the victory that will take them into the second phase of the World Cup.

Quinn made the difference when he came off the bench with 17 minutes remaining against Germany on Wednesday and laid on the dramatic injury-time equaliser for Robbie Keane in the 1-1 draw.

But manager McCarthy believes 35-year-old Quinn - who has also been troubled by a persistent back injury - will be more effective starting on the bench against the Saudis and joining the action in the last quarter.

‘‘I know when I played I hated to get through a hard hour’s football and then see a big guy warming up on the touchline,’’ said former central defender McCarthy.

‘‘Defenders are getting tired and the last thing they want to see is someone like Niall ready to give it everything for 20 minutes.

‘‘If we started with Quinny and it didn’t work then we would all be on a downer. As a substitute, however, Niall’s arrival lifts our team and hurts the opposition and that’s the way I like it.

‘‘Niall changed things the minute he came on against Germany. He won us a great free-kick with his first touch, he then won three or four big headers and of course he knocked on the ball for Robbie’s goal.

‘‘It was exactly what I wanted of him and I am sure he will deliver the same again on Tuesday.’’

McCarthy explained that his players must take a different psychological approach into their final group E fixture. After being underdogs in their first two matches against Cameroon and Germany, Ireland will be favourites against the Saudis.

‘‘A different psychological approach is needed for this game,’’ said McCarthy.

‘‘Because of the nature of our first game being against Cameroon and then having to face Germany, I don’t think many people gave us a cat in hell’s chance of getting anything out of them.

‘‘But now people expect us just to turn up and we’ll win, and that gives you a different problem.

‘‘But Saudi Arabia is not going to be easy. I saw enough to worry me when they played Cameroon and lost 1-0 on Thursday. We’ll have to play as well as we have in the last two games to win it.

‘‘I know if it was us in that position and we’d got one game left to play, had no points, had got a tonking in the first game, I’d be saying, ’I don’t want to go home from this World Cup getting beat in three games, let’s stop somebody’.

‘‘I’d want to turn it around and I have no doubt their coach and players will be feeling the same way.’’

One concern for Irish ahead of the game is the fitness of Kevin Kilbane, who aggravated an ankle injury in training.

Meanwhile, McCarthy has praised Ireland’s unsung heroes, particularly defender Gary Breen.

Breen - who is without a club after being released by Coventry - has won more caps than anyone else under McCarthy, and stood out against Germany for the way he kept Carsten Jancker under wraps.

‘‘Breeny’s performance the other night was immense and he has vindicated any decision I made in picking him,’’ said McCarthy. ‘‘I picked him ahead of Kenny Cunningham because I knew Jancker would be playing and we would need strength in the air.

‘‘Breeny didn’t let me down, he was brilliant and after that one match he will have no trouble finding a club in England.

‘‘We have a number of players who don’t appeal to the public and to journalists.

‘‘Breeny has not enjoyed the best of times and nor has David Connolly or Lee Carsley. Ian Harte is another one, but people tend to look at what he can’t do rather than what he can bring to the party.

‘‘Fortunately whoever turns up for Ireland plays well. I’ve seen it both ways. There have been average club players who get into an international shirt and rise to the challenge and there have been great club players who cannot make that one step up in quality. My boys have never let me down.’’