Mick McCarthy will be at the Valley this evening to watch Mark Kinsella embark on a comeback, just eight days before being offered a crucial role in the Republic of Ireland's game against the Czech Republic at Lansdowne Road.

All the indications are that Kinsella will be on the bench when Charlton embark on the task of consolidating their position at the top of the English first division against Fulham.

It is expected, however, that the Irishman will get on at some stage of the game in what will be seen as a fitness test for next Saturday's big FA Cup tie against Bolton Wanderers. One way or another, it's been a difficult time for Kinsella. An ulcer problem kept him out of the game against Norwich on January 22nd and when Alan Curbishley gambled on putting him back in the side for the FA Cup game against Coventry the following week, the move backfired on player and manager.

In the event, Kinsella lasted just 30 minutes before being replaced and as a result of that experience was hospitalised for two days. Later, he missed the games against Stockport and Wolves, but now at last he looks set to return.

"Andy Todd has done a good job in my position since I went out of the side and the manager may not be in any great hurry to bring me back in," he said. "Realistically, I could be looking at getting on for half-an-hour or so against Fulham and depending on how I make out, I could be in the frame for the FA Cup game."

It's a measure of the remarkable impact Kinsella has made in a relatively short spell in international football that, together with Robbie Keane and Alan Kelly, he has been short-listed for the Ireland Player of the Year award, due to be made at the Opel/FAI banquet in Dublin next Sunday evening.

Undeniably, there have been times in the last year when Mick McCarthy may have had difficulty in prioritising in the influence of his two central midfielders. And given the fact that Roy Keane is the man in possession of the other position, that is high testimony to the Charlton player's contribution.

"Singly, Mark Kinsella's arrival in the team has been one of the biggest bonuses I've enjoyed in the last two years," says McCarthy. "To achieve what he's done in so short a time, is absolutely brilliant." Meanwhile, the injury which kept McPhail out of Leeds United's 1-0 win over Tottenham on Saturday is said to be responding to treatment and club officials believe there is every reason to expect that he will be available for selection for next Sunday's big game against Manchester United.

As yet, the Ireland manager has heard nothing to suggest that Phil Babb will not be available if needed to play in central defence. Babb's inclusion in the preliminary squad was conditional on him not being involved in Tranmere's League Cup final appointment with Leicester City at Wembley some four days after the international game at Lansdowne Road.

McCarthy said yesterday that John Aldridge, the Tranmere manager, has not been in contact with him to inform him to the contrary and in that situation, he expects Babb to join up with the Ireland squad on Sunday.

The Czech Republic, drawn with France, Holland and Denmark in the first phase of the Euro 2000 finals this summer, have named a strong squad to start their preparatory programme at Lansdowne Road next week.

Included are the Liverpool pair, Patrik Berger and Vladimir Smicer, Sheffield Wednesday's goalkeeper, Pavel Srnicek and the former Manchester United winger, Karel Poborsky, who is currently with Benfica.