GARY KELLY, who was withdrawn last week from the Republic of Ireland's squad for the World Cup match in Liechtenstein because he needed hospital treatment for a knee injury, is set to make an early return to the Leeds United squad.
The damage has been repaired and there is a possibility he will be included in Howard Wilkinson's squad for tomorrow's FA Premiership meeting with Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park.
"I was in for treatment again today when the manager indicated that he would probably leave it up to myself to decide on the Blackburn game," said Kelly.
"The injury is not unlike a shin splint and needs rest. But I've now had a week's break and that may be enough to leave me right for Wednesday.
"The last game I played for Ireland was against Holland last December. That is a long time to be away and I've missed the involvement with the squad. I don't know what Mick McCarthy's plans are, but hopefully I'm in them. The competition for places gets tougher all the time but I'm ready to compete with anybody for a place in the team."
Two years ago Kelly was regarded as one of the best full backs in Britain, a fine competitor who read the game well and had sufficient pace to retrieve the situation on those occasions when forced to scramble.
However, the cumulative effects of a non stop programme and the general decline of Leeds saw him slip some way below his best form last season.
Yet, at his best he has much to offer Ireland's World Cup campaign after some convincing performances in the finals in America two years ago. McCarthy, who was in America as an observer on that occasion, would concur with that but may still have problems in fitting him into his new match plan.
There are indications that he sees Jason McAteer and Jeff Kenna as the two principal contenders for the wide position on the right. It suggests Kelly's Ireland future may depend on his ability to win a place among the three central defenders, and that may prove challenging in the extreme.
In addition to the three who played there on Saturday, Denis Irwin, Gary Breen and Steve Staunton, McCarthy has the option of using Phil Babb or Paul McGrath.
It will make for a highly interesting team selection for the next game, against Macedonia at Lansdowne Road on October 9th, the more so since Roy Keane is likely to have recovered from his knee surgery by that stage.
Despite McCarthy's assertion over the weekend that there were no guarantees on offer for any players, including Keane, it is scarcely conceivable that he will exclude him after their reconciliation last month.
That will cause him to look again at the midfield formation he deployed in Vaduz where Alan McLoughlin, on his first full competitive appearance, played alongside Ray Houghton and Andy Townsend in the pivotal positions.
There are those who doubt McLoughlin's physical capacity for 90 minutes of non stop running but McCarthy is not among them. On most estimations, the Portsmouth midfielder was the big success of the end of season programme, a rating which was confirmed in Liechtenstein.
If he was discarded at this stage he would be entitled to feel aggrieved. And yet the problem of accommodating Keane is so acute that he could be at risk when the final decision is made.
One player reasonably assured of retention is Ian Harte, an inspired choice for the American tour who gave an impressive performance last Saturday. The effect, ironically, has been to aggravate the selection problems in central defence where Steve Staunton, Harte's predecessor down the left side of midfield, may now be settled on a more permanent basis.
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