McCarthy puts faith in tyros

WEST BROM winger Kevin Kilbane was yesterday added to the list of Ireland's championship hopefuls when he was assured of a starting position in the team to play Argentina at Lansdowne Road tonight.
The 21-year-old's inclusion is further evidence of manager Mick McCarthy's determination to juggle his forces as thoroughly as possible before settling on a team for the European Championship kick-off in September.
Unfortunately he has only two challenge matches left to continue this procedure — tonight's match, which starts at 7.30pm, and a fixture against Mexico in Dublin next month.
Hopefully his task next September in selecting a team to play Croatia and Yugoslavia in Ireland's opening two matches in the championship will have been eased somewhat by a return to health of some of his injured players, most notably Roy Keane, Damien Duff and Jason McAteer.
Meantime, however, he is left with a distinct lack of experience in midfield and Kilbane's inclusion is a reflection of that.
McCarthy will not fin-alise his team until he receives reports today on the state of health of two players who are injured, Kenny Cunningham Alan McLoughlin, and Lee Carsley, who is fighting the flu.
McLoughlin is unlikely to be fit, for he received a further knock on his knee in Portsmouth's game at the weekend. If he is out, McCarthy has to pick four midfielders from Gary Kelly, Carsley, Mark Kinsella, Gareth Farrelly and Kilbane.
Kelly, with 26 caps, is the only one of those with substantial experience at this level, and against a team that can afford to leave out such a brilliant midfielder as Real Madrid's Fernando Redondo, theirs is an unenviable task.
Much, of course, depends upon Argentina's attitude to the match and whether their manager, Daniel Passarella, will put pressure on them to perform at their optimum efficiency.
He has also been ringing the changes in the course of their European tour, but he has a formidable squad that was capable of beating Bulgaria, Romania and Yugoslavia, even if a weakened side stumbled against modest Israel last time out.
I would like to think that Ireland are capable of beating Israel and therefore capable of beating an Argentina in the same relaxed mood that made them vulnerable in Jerusalem.
Signs are, however, that the inclusion of their big hitters from Europe — with the exception of Redondo — means Argentina will be looking for a big win before they return home to Buenos Aires.
Passarella, despite the goodwill that has endured after his captaincy of the team that won the World Cup for the first time in 1978, was heavily criticised during Argentina's qualifying campaign and there was a very negative reaction also to last week's loss.
Nevertheless, facing Argentina is a great challenge for Ireland's tyro internationals, such as Kilbane (three caps), Carsley (four), Mark Kinsella (one) and Robbie Keane (one), who should all be in the team that starts.
Ireland's inexperienced players were impressive against the Czech Republic last month but they face a quantum leap in standard if the Argentinians are in ebullient form.
They are capable of playing football at a level that Ireland's newcomers cannot yet grasp and it would take huge efforts from defenders Shay Given, Denis Irwin, captain Steve Staunton, Jeff Kenna and probably Phil Babb and Gary Breen if Ireland were to cope.
One sincerely hopes that Ireland succeed in this, for Kilbane and centre-forward Kelly showed distinct promise when they were introduced as substitutes against the Czechs.
Kilbane is a big, strong runner with lots of skill and his physical strength suggests that he has the potential to develop into a formidable player.
He did not impress when he was first-choice against Iceland in Reykjavik during the qualifying rounds of the World Cup but he looked much more at home against the Czechs last month.
"I've been very impressed with his level of skill," said McCarthy. "He certainly came back strongly after the nightmare of Iceland and that was a big test of his character.
"I will be looking to him to get forward in support of Niall Quinn and Robbie Keane, for we must find a way to score more goals."
Certainly Quinn and Kilbane will help give Ireland a physical presence they will need but it is expecting a lot of a lightweight 17-year-old like Robbie Keane to make an impact against such quality opposition after just 45 minutes of international football.
"He is a very cheeky and cocky young lad in the best possible sense," said McCarthy. "You could see that at training today. Nothing fazes him and I was very impressed with his play against the Czechs last month."

Ace Batistuta keen to play for Liverpool

Passerella names strong Argentinian combination to take on Ireland

by Bill George
GABRIEL BATISTUTA, glamour boy of Argentina and the Italian League, yesterday confirmed that he wanted to play in England and hinted that Liverpool would be his preferred choice.
The 29 years-old centre-forward is Argentina's record goalscorer with 36 goals from 54 international appearances and he has twice been leading goalscorer in Serie A in Italy.
Batistuta was yesterday named by manager Daniel Passarella at centre-forward in a very strong team to play Ireland at Lansdowne Road.
Already this season he has scored 18 goals for Fiorentina but is clearly disappointed with their inability to mount an enduring challenge for the championship, even if he did not admit as much.
"I would like to play in England" he said through an interpreter, "and several clubs have made enquiries.
"But what is most important for me is that any club I would join would enable me challenge for a championship medal."
Asked bluntly if he wanted to join Liverpool he answered:
"Why not ?"
Batistuta is one of nine European-based players in the team to play Ireland, six of them playing in Italy, two in Spain, one in Switzerland and two with River Plate in Buenos Aires.
Most of those players were not involved last week when Argentina lost 1-2 to Israel in Jerusalem and their inclusion suggests that Passarella has thrown down a challenge to the players in Europe ahead of naming his final 22 for the World Cup finals in France.
Passarella and his players gave freely of their time at a huge press conference that was attended by scores of journalists, radio and tv crews from Argentina, England, several other Continental countries and Japan, whose team will compete in the same group in France.
Argentina will also have to contend with Croatia and Jamaica in the opening phase matches and Passarella said that he respected all three teams.
"Ever since I started playing I have always respected every opponent", Passarella said, again through an interpreter, "but if I did not believe that we would win the World Cup then how can the people of Argentina believe?"
Batistuta was out of the National team for twelve months and played only in seven of Argentina's 15 World Cup qualifying ties.
But Passarella dismissed the suggestion that there was any rift between the pair.
"Batistuta was not picked for tactical reasons" he said.
"There is no difference between us."
Batistuta smiled at the suggestion later and said:
"No, there is no problem between the manager and me.
"I have no argument with him at all."
Passarella, when asked to explain the omission of the Real Madrid ace, Fernando Redondo, from his squad answered:
"Twice he was asked to play for the national team and twice he refused and gave a different reason each time.
"Then he announced publicly he did not want to play for the national team and I do not pick any player who does not want to play for Argentina."
Passarella, a strict disciplinarian, famously announced that he was banning long hair, drug-taking and homosexuals from his squad but denied that Redondo's ponytail hair-style had kept him out.
When I asked would he like to comment on the spectacular fall from grace of his once-great colleague, Diego Maradona, an un-smiling Passarella answered, simply, "No."

ARGENTINA: Burgos (River Plate); Ayala (Napoli), Vivas (Lugano), Sensini (Parma); Simeone (Inter, Capt), Almeyda (Lazio), Berti (River Plate), Veron (Sampdoria), Ortega (Valencia), Lopez (Valencia), Batistuta (Fiorentina).

Kilbane aims to grab his second chance in the green jersey

by Noel Spillane
WEST BROMWICH ALBION'S highly-talented Kevin Kilbane gets the opportunity tonight to make up for the nightmare of his World Cup debut away to Iceland six months ago.
The 21-year-old left-winger had a best forgotten debut in a 4-2 win over Iceland in Reyjkavik last September and he wants to wipe out that bitter sweet memory against World Cup '98 dark horses Argentina in Dublin this evening (k.o. 7.30)
"Tonight is a chance for me to put that nightmare debut behind me.
"And I am grateful to Mick McCarthy for giving me the opportunity now," said Kilbane, who moved to the Hawthorns from Preston North End in a £1m move last summer.
"It's every player's dream to play for his national team.
"But to play at your country's home grounds in front of the home supporters and against Argentina makes it extra special.
"I was desperate to play at Lansdowne Road tonight," said Kilbane, whose prayers were answered by his manager.
He will play in the wide role on the left of midfield tonight in a 4-4-2 formation.
However, he will have a licence to go and attack the opposition as well, along with Niall Quinn and Robbie Keane.
"I don't know too much about the Argentinian players apart from what you see on television and there are loads of them in action in Italy and Spain every week.
"But, I do know that Gabriel Batistuta (Fiorentina), Diego Simeone (Inter Milan) and Roberto Sensini (Parma) are all class acts."
McCarthy threw the un-tried Kilbane in at the deep end in that World Cup qualifier in Iceland and he was to last just 45 minutes.
But a poor personal performance was compounded when Liverpool's Mark Kennedy came on as a second-half substitute and proceeded to turn the game in Ireland's favour as they ran out 4-2 winners.
But within six months Kilbane was back in the frame for last month's 2-1 defeat by the Czech Republic in Olomouc.
And, by all accounts, he made a big impression when he stepped off the bench for the last 25 minutes.
He was a transformed character in that match but his cause has been boosted by the fact that he has been a virtual ever-present at West Brom since that summer move.
"I think I missed just three games all season and that was when I was away on international duty with the Irish team," he told me.
"I certainly enjoyed the game in Olomouc.
"We needed to try and get a goal and it wasn't to be but there were a lot of plus points coming out of that match.
"A few debutants came through with flying colours.
"For myself, I know there was a lot said about the Iceland game but I just went out there and enjoyed the match.
"I don't think about the Iceland game too much, but then again, I don't let too many games play on my mind," he added.
"I just look forward to the next game and that's the way it has always been with me," added Kevin, who wins his third full international cap tonight.
"Iceland was just one of those games and I have had those for West Brom at intervals as well. It's just that there was a big thing made about it because it was my debut. It's in the past now and I want to forget it."
"It was also a very physical game on the day if you remember and the first time I touched the ball I was whacked up in the air by an opponent.
"I think that was my welcome to international football, and I just put it down to experience," he added.
Kilbane's club side are out of the promotion issue and safe from relegation but he is still enjoying his football to the limit.
"The new manager Denis Smith has made a few good signings since he came into the job," he added.
"He's sold off a few lads as well and I think he will be looking to re-build in the close season," he said.
"Next year, we have got to be looking for a play-off spot or better still promotion.
"West Brom in the heart of the Midlands are a massive club and they should be back in the top flight.
"Just like Wolves and Birmingham City, our support is frightening and we can go places with that type of vocal backing behind us," he promised.

Quinn ready for Argy bargy

Quinn: I'll be around for 2002 World Cup.

by Bill Pierce
BIG Niall Quinn is back in the international arena and ready to mix it with the hard-men of Argentina tonight - six months after believing he was finished with football.
The 6ft 5ins Sunderland striker returns to action for the Republic after missing 11 of their last 12 games, following a third operation on his damaged knee.
Now the 31-year-old has set himself two more ambitions - the next European Championships and the World Cup in Japan in 2002.
It is a remarkable transformation from last August when Quinn hobbled off after just an hour of his comeback game at Lansdowne Road against Lithuania.
Manager Mick McCarthy recalled: ''We had gone to Iceland a couple of weeks later for another World Cup qualifier and the news came through that Quinny needed yet another operation on his knee and that it looked as if he was finished.''
Quinn said: ''I thought I had finally recovered from a second op to repair a cruciate ligament but as it turned out there was another complication.
''I began to prepare for the worst and look for something outside the game but then a wonderful surgeon in Bradford called John Bollan discovered what had to be done. He told me that two bones in the knee were fusing together and had to be separated. The job was done and, thankfully, everything's gone to plan this time.
''It's my second chance and I mean to make the most of it. Now that I've got it I intend to play well into my mid-30s.
''I'm loving every minute of it now - chasing promotion to the Premiership with Sunderland and back in the Ireland team preparing for the European Championship qualifiers.
''I'm confident I'll still be around in 2002 when the World Cup is in the Far East. I was shattered to miss the finals in America after I first did the knee. I had to settle for a job in the TV commentary box and a little bit of training in the sun with the lads, but of course I still felt left out. I'm back in now and feel I've got to impress over the next few months. That's my aim.''

Time running out for Gascoigne to recover from his injury

by Martin Lipton
A NEW World Cup shadow was hanging over Paul Gascoigne yesterday as Jamie Redknapp faced the certain heartbreak of not being on the flight to France.
Boss Glenn Hoddle had hoped to give Middlesbrough's £3.5-million recruit his first England start of 1998 against Portugal at Wembley tonight.
Hoddle, desperate to have the Geordie ace in his ranks, knows that Gascoigne is the one player in his squad who has the ability to unlock the tightest of international defences.
But after four months wrecked by a series of injuries, time is running out for Gascoigne to show he really is up to the stress and strain of six intensive weeks of cut-throat action.
The ankle problem Gascoigne aggravated in Boro's win over Manchester City on Friday leaves the odds "60-40" against him being fit to take on the Portuguese in what the coach feels is his most important game of the year so far.
And while Hoddle discounted reports that Gascoigne faces another knee operation — "I don't know where that came from," he said — the fears over him being fit for this summer are rising.
"I've got doubts about every player and he's struggling for tomorrow, that's for sure," said Hoddle, who does not need telling how much Gascoigne's stock rose in his absence against Chile and Switzerland.
"It could need rest. We've got to look at the overall situation in the long term to get him possibly fit by the end of the season.
"If I feel the ankle isn't right, that he'd be playing 75 per cent fit, that would be too much of a risk from a long-term situation.
"By putting the ankle under strain and making it worse we could put him out of football for two or three weeks, which we couldn't afford to do.
"Unless I feel confident for tomorrow, rest would be better for him than playing against Portugal and playing again for Middlesbrough on Friday.
"The ankle has to be right. He's 60-40 against and there's a fear for our long-term situation if I take that risk.
"But if he feels right and does all the things we're asking of him, he could be fit to play."
Confirmation that Redknapp had damaged knee ligaments in his accidental clash with Coventry's Dion Dublin on Sunday spelt the end of the Liverpool midfielder's hopes.
Hoddle said he felt Redknapp seemed "jinxed" and, with the diagnosis that the Anfield man will be out for three or four weeks, he added: "It's a very difficult, sad situation.
"It's happened time and again to him. At least it's not the massive injury it could've been, but for him to have a chance he'd have to come back before the end of the season and the medical men don't think he will."
Gascoigne's likely absence might have been seen as the chance for Hoddle to see if David Beckham was ready for the mantle of midfield responsibility.
Instead, with Hoddle determined to field "as much experience as we can", Beckham will again operate on the right, with Hoddle looking for him to feed skipper Alan Shearer.
"We've looked at David in that central position and he would've played inside in the last couple of games, but because of the opposition we're in World Cup mode now," said Hoddle.
"Everybody throws that at me, about David playing inside, but he very rarely plays in that position for his club. Without a shadow of a doubt he's the best crosser of a ball in the Premiership and if you've got Alan in the side you'd be a fool not to use him in a wide position."
Not Beckham then, and although Paul Merson is a candidate to fill the breach the most likely choice would appear to be Beckham's United team-mate Paul Scholes, who has looked every inch the part in his fledgling England career to date.

England team (possible): Seaman, Southgate, Adams, Campbell, Beckham, Ince, Lee, Le Saux, Scholes, Sheringham, Shearer (capt).

Johnsen is hit by knee injury

MANCHESTER United are flying Norway star Ronny Johnsen back from Copenhagen to clear up a knee problem that could threaten his World Cup final dreams.
The Old Trafford club are reacting to shock news from the Norwegians that they have discovered the defender has a damaged cartilage.
United may now lose the player for the rest of the season and Norway fear that unless prompt action is taken it could hit their World Cup plans.
The Norwegians, who play Denmark in a warm-up international tonight, want Johnsen to have an immediate operation and even suggested that it could be performed in Norway.
But United spokesman Ken Ramsden said: ''He will be coming back to England sooner rather than later and we will have our medical people look at him.
Johnsen is expected to return to England today with United not wanting him to even stay to watch the match.
''Whatever the situation, Ronny will have whatever is needed to be done here,'' said Ramsden.
Norwegian FA medical experts are suggesting that United missed the injury when Johnsen was carried off during the Good Friday clash with Liverpool.
He suffered a badly damaged ankle that day in the tackle that resulted in Liverpool's Michael Owen being sent off, but the Norwegians claim he picked up a knee problem earlier in the same match which was overlooked.

Bizarre own goal by students brings Shelbourne closer to the league title

UCD 2 - Shelbourne 3

A BIZARRE own goal seven minutes from time put Shelbourne in sight of a first League title in six years before a rain-drenched crowd of almost 3,000, who witnessed surely one of the games of the season at Belfield last night.
The result puts Shelbourne two points clear of St Patricks Athletic at the top of the table, with the title now staring them in the face with only two games remaining, while UCD must also surely win their last two games to stave off the play-off place.
Shelbourne were in front in the 14th minute with a stunning goal. Pat Fenlon started and finished the move. He won the ball deep in his own half to send Dessie Baker racing away down the right wing and then arrived at the back post to sidefoot home after Stephen Geoghegan had cleverly dummied Bakers' cross.
UCD responded well and equalised four minutes later when Robert Griffin powered home a header from an Eamonn McLoughlin free-kick.
McCarthy redeemed his indiscretion within two minutes however, to head Shelbourne back in front from another Baker cross.
UCD were level again five minutes before the break. A lucky break of the ball off Rutherford saw it spin to Mick O'Byrne who pulled it back for Lynch who arrived to beat Alan Gough with a crisp shot from 12 yards.
The second half was equally as hectic but Shelbourne just about ran the game and Geoghegan contrived to miss an absolute sitter when toe-poking wide, having been played clean through by Liam Kelly in the 70th minute.
But Shelbourne got the reward their second half dominance deserved seven minutes from time, but in the cruellest way possible for UCD.
A sustained Shelbourne attack brought a scramble to the UCD defence and goalkeeper Seamus Kelly elected to kick clear a ball he could have gathered in his hands and almost unbelievably, it struck his defender McLoughlin on the back of the legs and rebounded into the net.

UCD: Kelly; McLoughlin, Palmer, McDonnell, Fitzgerald; Bolger, Lynch, Kavanagh, Griffin; O'Byrne, Sherlock. Sub; Martyn for Bolger, 66mins.
SHELBOURNE: Gough; Costelloe, McCarthy, Scully, Smith; Baker, Fitzgerald, Fenlon, Rutherford; Kelly, S. Geoghegan. Subs; D. Geoghegan for Costelloe, 76mins, Neville for S. Geoghegan, 87mins.

Bray Wanderers 1 - Monaghan United 0

Jody Lynch's spectacular 87th minute free from 20 yards guaranteed Bray Wanderers promotion in last nights' tension filled clash with Monaghan United at the Clarlisle Grounds.
The result means that Bray join champions Waterford in the Premier Division next season with Limerick now having to contest the end of season promotion/relegation play-offs.

BRAY WANDERERS: Walsh; O'Hanlon, McKeever, Lynch, Gill; P. O'Brien, Smyth, Dodd, Coyle; K. O'Brien, Parsons. Subs; G. Smith for Coyle, 74mins, Keogh for Gill, 78mins, Kenny for P. O'Brien, 82 mins.
MONAGHAN UNITED: Grace; O'Neill, Girvin, Scully, O'Callaghan; Flanagan, Brien, King, Murphy; Gough, Shearer. Sub; Shields for O'Callaghan, 50mins.