Given facing a lengthy lay-off

INTERNATIONAL SOCCER: KEIREN WESTWOOD is on course to make his competitive debut for the Republic of Ireland against Macedonia next month after it was revealed that Shay Given has sustained a shoulder injury and may need surgery to repair the damage, potentially sidelining him until the summer.

Speaking after yesterday’s 5-0 defeat of Notts County in the FA Cup, Roberto Mancini confirmed that the Irishman, who was omitted from the City squad for the game, has the injury and is waiting to have the scale of it assessed over the coming days.

“He has a problem with his shoulder,” said the Italian, “and will see a specialist in London this week to see if he needs surgery.”

It has been suggested that Given, who has been capped 109 times and would have been expected to captain the side again in the event that Robbie Keane had not recovered from the calf strain he picked up recently, may actually have dislocated his left shoulder during the warm-up for the Europa League game against Aris Salonika in Greece on Tuesday night. If true, it would be a repeat of the problem he suffered against Arsenal in April of last year when, despite returning more quickly than had been expected, he was still laid up for around three months.

A similar absence this time would result in him missing not only the European Championship qualifier against Macedonia in Dublin on the 26th of next month, which now looks highly likely, but also makes him a major doubt for the return game in Skopje on June 4th which takes place a week after the conclusion of the Carling Nations Cup.

The 34-year-old’s absence, even if only for next month’s match, would be considered a significant setback by Giovanni Trapattoni who has repeatedly emphasised the extent of regard for the Donegalman and sought to boost the player’s confidence by starting him in the recent game against Wales despite his lack of first-team opportunities at City.

Given’s lack of competitive club football this season – he has played just four times for City – has previously prompted calls for Westwood to replace him but Trapattoni has shown little inclination to make the switch.

The 26-year-old, whose five outings for Ireland over the last couple of years have come in friendlies against Nigeria, Australia, South Africa, Paraguay and Algeria, is well regarded with his form at Coventry City generating interest from top flight clubs in England and Scotland.

Currently the club’s player of the year, he is in the last few months of his contract with Coventry and has been linked with a move to the likes of Wigan Athletic or Celtic during the summer.

However, he has never played competitive football at the higher level while his recent record at Coventry is not awe-inspiring, with just one clean sheet in his last 12 outings.

Given’s injury, though, also leaves Trapattoni with some serious thinking to do regarding the goalkeepers he will bring in as cover for Westwood if indeed the Coventry City player is to start Ireland’s next game at the Aviva Stadium.

Since the Italian replaced Steve Staunton, Scunthorpe’s Joe Murphy has generally been his third choice for the position but Murphy has also been injured of late, with the Dubliner not having played since the end of last month due to ankle and groin problems. He is nearing full fitness again but prior to sustaining the knocks he had conceded 30 goals in his 10 most recent appearances.

Brian Murphy, the former Bohemians player, is unlikely to be available for selection next month after breaking an ankle in December. The Ipswich player is out of plaster but is still at least four weeks away from playing again, a timeline that probably rules him out of Trapattoni’s immediate plans.

The Italian may find himself looking at Colin Doyle who played his third game of the season for Birmingham City in the 3-0 FA Cup defeat of Sheffield Wednesday or QPR’s Paddy Kenny, who is having a good campaign with the Championship leaders but who hasn’t played for Ireland since a calamitous 5-2 defeat by Cyprus in 2006.