SOCCER:DAMIEN DUFF looks on course to be fit for the Republic of Ireland's World Cup play-off game against France on Saturday after coming through Fulham's Premier League draw (1-1) against Wigan yesterday without any problems.
It had been suggested during the week by his boss, Roy Hodgson, that the former Chelsea and Newcastle winger would miss yesterday’s game, but the Dubliner played 90 minutes without any sign of trouble with the Achilles injury that had been causing him problems at the start of the week.
Elsewhere, it was a generally good day for Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni with the majority of his regulars featuring for their clubs and doing reasonably well.
Robbie Keane scored the opening goal in Tottenham’s 2-0 defeat of Sunderland but was replaced after 63 minutes, although there did not seem to be any question afterwards that his fitness for the international games might be an issue.
Keith Andrews only saw six minutes of action in Blackburn’s defeat of Portsmouth, while Kevin Kilbane and Paul McShane were both unused substitutes yesterday for Hull City as the strugglers earned a narrow victory over Stoke City.
Just about all of the other top-flight Irish played for the entirety of their clubs’ games, however, and all are expected in for the start of the squad’s preparations at Malahide tomorrow morning.
For the French the news wasn’t quite so good, with Arsenal’s Abou Diaby forced off during the team’s comfortable defeat of Wolves on Saturday. The midfielder suffered a calf injury early in the game, and Arsene Wenger confirmed the player will miss both of the play-offs as he is expected to take three weeks to recover.
The 23-year-old, however, had been unlikely to feature for the French in any case.
There was more significant news for Raymond Domenech out of Spain with Thierry Henry proving his fitness and returning to scoring form with a goal for Barcelona in the league leaders’ 4-2 defeat of Mallorca.
Andy Reid, meanwhile, started what will be a quiet week for him in Dublin yesterday, where he helped to mark the opening of the all-weather pitch at the redeveloped Fatima Mansions, now Fatima/Herberton complex.
The Dubliner said that he would return to the Ireland set-up “in an instant” if recalled, but again rejected club manager Steve Bruce’s suggestion that he attempt to smooth the way for his return by apologising to Trapattoni.
“I think the point that the manager was trying to make,” he said, “was that if that’s what it takes to get in, do it. But the point I made to him was that I don’t feel I’ve anything to say sorry for.
“I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong. I just want to get on with playing football. If I get into the squad I want to get in for football reasons. That’s what I do. I’m not a politician or anything else.”
Reid said he had worked hard to improve his game at club level during his international exile and agreed with the suggestion that he is currently in the best shape of his career.
“I would say that’s a very fair assessment,” he said. “I feel I’m in better shape now. Mentally I’m in a better frame of mind. Probably one of the most important things is that I’m enjoying my football more than I have done for a while. I’m really enjoying working with the manager that I’ve got now.
“At no point have I said I wouldn’t play for Ireland,” the midfielder continued. “That’s 100 per cent. I’m ready to play anytime I’m called upon,” he said, admitting that he will be an anxious fan watching at home on television.
“I think we can do it. We can get a win in Dublin and I think we can go there and get a decent result. I back the lads 100 per cent and wish them all the best that they go and get a great result and do the country proud as they always do.”
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