MICK McCARTHY yesterday welcomed Gary Breen's transfer to Coventry City.
The way was cleared for the £2.5 million move, which increases Coventry's spending spree to £21 million in just 23 months, after the Republic of Ireland defender had a medical test in the city yesterday.
"It's important that internationals should have the opportunity of playing their club football at the highest level and to that extent, it's a good career move for Gary," said McCarthy.
Breen has been signed as a replacement for fellow Irish international, Liam Daish, who is out with a long term knee injury. Coincidentally, Breen also took Daish's place in Birmingham City's team after Ron Atkinson, the then Coventry manager, had identified Daish as one of the players needed to keep the club in the top grade.
Breen will sign a five and a half year contract, the longest in the history of the club.
For the player, who was once rejected by Charlton Athletic as an apprentice and then plotted a way back in spells with Maidstone, Gillingham and Peterborough United, it is the realisation of a career ambition.
"I have always wanted to play in the top League and while I enjoyed my time with Birmingham, the chance of testing myself against the top players and top teams in England, was too good to miss," said Breen.
Wales will confront Ireland with a formidable blend of maturity and emerging talent when the countries meet in a friendly international at the Arms Park in Cardiff, on February 11th.
Mark Crossley, the Nottingham Forest goalkeeper who is seen as the likely successor to the long serving Neville Southall, is the only member of the 20 strong squad who has yet to play for Wales.
Several others are still only in the infancy of their international careers, however, and Bobby Gould, the Welsh manager, may take the opportunity to look again at players like John Hart son, Natham Blake and John Robinson.
Inevitably, however, it is the inclusion in the squad of seasoned campaigners such as Mark Hughes and Dean Saunders, who between them, have scored 36 international goals, which gives the squad an authentic appearance.
Also chosen is Ryan Giggs but a modest total of just 18 Welsh appearances, testifies to the fact that the Manchester United winger hasn't always been enamoured with the attractions of international football.
Vinny Jones, a man who once contemplated a career with Ireland, has, by contrast, won seven caps in less than a year and also included is the Birmingham City player, Barry Horne, a veteran of 57 appearances in the red shirt of Wales.
Two comprehensive defeats at the hands of Holland and a threadbare performance on their last appearance against Turkey, have probably damaged their World Cup hopes beyond repair but Gould is still defiant.
