Will Keane's long and winding road: 'Ireland never really came up as a young lad'

LEADING THE WAY: Ireland recruit Will Keane, right, shares a joke with fellow striker Adam Idah ahead of Tuesday’s training session at the FAI National Training Centre. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Sliding doors moments have been a staple of Will Keane’s career.

First, there were the approaches by different international federations to the teenage twin sons of Sligo-born Aidan Keane.

While England came for Will Keane, the FAI requested his Manchester United colleague Michael.

Thirteen years later and the duo could complete a remarkable turnaround.

While Michael has switched sides to earn 12 senior England caps, Will could win his first for Ireland by the end of the week.

Then there was the tale of two budding strikers hankering for Louis van Gaal’s attention in 2016.

Keane was the bright-eyed boy graduate of the academy, winner of the coveted Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award and scorer in the FA Youth Cup win over Harry Maguire’s Sheffield United.

Alex Ferguson had promoted the local lad for a Premier League debut in 2011, only for his injury problems to start surfacing.

Loan moves to Wigan Athletic, QPR, Sheffield Wednesday, and Wigan Athletic brought mixed fortunes but that was part of the gig, one perfected by the striker he grew up through the England ranks alongside Harry Kane.

All of that touring was designed with the masterplan of leading United’s line in mind. His time to shine under Van Gaal came in a League Cup tie at Shrewsbury Town.

He’ll never know if the lack of proper warm-up before his entry as a substitute contributed but what he did know for sure was his groin gave way.

Within a week, Marcus Rashford was the new darling of the Stretford End, bursting on the scene to become the Dutchman’s favourite homegrown star.

One of Ferguson’s assistants, Mike Phelan, kept the faith by recruiting Keane for his first-ever standalone managerial job at Hull City. Yet he couldn’t catch a break, injury after injury inflicting a series setbacks.

It was only after he’d moved to Ipswich Town that consistency of games became his friend.

Financial issues around Covid-19 led to the League One club releasing a raft of players, Keane included, but he’s found stability at Wigan Athletic.

Operating in the third tier at 28 wasn’t what was envisioned for Keane but he’s thankful to be still playing. An international lifeline, not from England he’d represented up to U21 level, was bonus territory.

“Ireland never really came up, to be honest,” he said of a possible international dilemma.

“I wasn’t really made aware of it as a young lad. All I knew was playing for England and continued that.

“Michael wasn’t involved with the England set-up when I started and his first approach for a national set-up was from Ireland.

“He took that but the way it panned out is vice-versa. That’s just the way it’s gone.

“He represented Ireland as a young man and went the other way but respects my decision and supports me too.

“We sort of joke about maybe playing against each other. There’s just been a brief discussion because he’s not involved as much recently for England.

“But who knows? Hopefully we can finish this World Cup campaign strong and then we’ll have the Nations League to look forward to next summer.

“We’ll keep building and hopefully we’ll get England in a qualifying group to get to a tournament and meet them there.”

The last English-born striker to jump the fence has finally come good. Callum Robinson grew up yearning for full England honours, only to slip out of the reckoning and pursue his Ireland career.

Given Robinson has scored five goals in his last two appearances, he’ll be vying to play alongside, rather than instead of, his compatriot.

“Callum is a good example of someone from an English background previously but chose to play for Ireland,” notes Keane. “There’s been a few previous as well. I was a little bit tentative coming into the squad but my Wigan teammate James McClean said I’d be made welcome regardless.”

Meanwhile, Ireland’s rivals for third place in the group, Luxembourg, have lost their No 1 goalkeeper Anthony Moris after he contracted Covid-19.

Luxembourg travel to Azerbaijan on Thursday before hosting Ireland in Sunday’s concluding Group A clash.

Back-up stoppers Lucas Fox and Tim Kips are uncapped while the availability of experienced Ralph Schon is complicated by the imminent birth of his child.