Kasey McAteer always felt his calling was with the Republic of Ireland

“My late uncle Joe was a massive follower of Ireland. Everywhere he went he wore a little Irish badge and always reminded me that my blood is with Ireland. That was always drilled into me from young and hopefully he can be proud looking down on me."

IRELAND'S CALL: Kasey McAteer during a Republic of Ireland training session at the FAI National Training Centre in Abbotstown, Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Reared in England, courted by Northern Ireland, Kasey McAteer still felt his calling was with the Republic.

He was already on the FAI’s radar before being exposed to the Premier League this season with his boyhood club Leicester City. Ironically, his debut is likely to be against his homeland in Saturday’s opening Uefa Nations League fixture at Lansdowne Road (5pm).