Doherty: I'm a defender

Gary Doherty, the Republic of Ireland’s leading scorer in their Euro 2004 qualifying campaign so far, will go back to Tottenham this summer and tell manager Glenn Hoddle he sees his future as a centre-half.

The versatile 23-year-old has been employed as a striker during Ireland’s Group 10 campaign and has responded with two goals to boost his country’s bid to make it to next summer’s finals in Portugal.