Carsley feared chance was up

Lee Carsley has said he felt his chances of playing for Ireland again had evaporated after Steve Staunton omitted him from a number of squads and declared his priority was to build for the future.

Speaking last night at the launch in Lucan of a link between Everton and the highly-regarded west Dublin schoolboy outfit Ballyoulster, the midfielder, who was eventually recalled for the qualifying game against the Czech Republic in October, said: "My enthusiasm was high to play for Ireland again. But I was reading stuff with Stan saying that he was building for the future and things like that. There and then I was thinking, 'sod it', my chance has gone.

Carsley said his original decision to leave the international scene had been prompted in part by frustration at his lack of opportunities and that the problem dated back a number of years.

"Like, everyone talks about the World Cup and how great it is, but I was there for five weeks and played only one minute," he said. "Now, okay, I can say I played in the World Cup, but it was a long time to be away from your family.Basically I lost my enthusiasm because I knew I would come over - get on the bench or maybe get 10 minutes. And that felt wrong."

Despite that, he insists he never fell out with Staunton and is relishing the prospect of featuring in the current campaign. "It feels like a second chance. I have got a lot of enthusiasm."