Ian Harte, one of the names synonymous with David O'Leary's little miracle at Leeds United, is set to return to the Republic of Ireland team for tomorrow's meeting with the Czech Republic at Lansdowne Road. Without waiting for the formal announcement this morning, Mick McCarthy confirmed that Harte will take over the left-back position which Steve Staunton has made his own for much of the last 10 years.
There was no such early assurance for Harte's uncle and Leeds team-mate, Gary Kelly, who still doesn't know whether he or Stephen Carr will get the right-back position vacated by Dennis Irwin.
The other recipient of good news yesterday was Alan Kelly who, within 24 hours of being named as Ireland Player of the Year, was confirmed as first choice goalkeeper ahead of Dean Kiely.
The other big talking point on a day when a waterlogged pitch at Clonshaugh caused training to be switched to Tolka Park, concerned team captain Roy Keane, who is almost certainly out of the end-of-season tour of America.
Inevitably, however, it was Harte's recall, almost a year to the day since he last started an Ireland game in the 2-0 win over Paraguay, which dominated McCarthy's press conference. Given that Staunton no longer commands a first-team place at Liverpool, it was always in prospect that his fellow Co Louth man would claim his place in the run-up to the next World Cup.
Yet, the young Leeds player still finds himself with much to prove after his spectacular fall from favour in the last 18 months. However, McCarthy has no doubt that he's made the right decision. "Ian's having a great season at Leeds, whereas Steve is not currently in Liverpool's team. In that situation, the choice was clear," he said.
One suspects things are a lot more fraught as he ponders his options in the other full-back position. Stephen Carr was involved in almost all of the second half of the European qualifying programme and fitted so smoothly into the scheme of things, that he appeared to be already embarked on a long international career.
Assumptions on that scale are ill advised, however, and Kelly has now almost certainly forced McCarthy into a rethink by rediscovering the form which once established him as arguably the best right back in the Premiership. Now, the shrewd money has it that he'll get the nod ahead of Carr.
Meanwhile, the manager was last night thought be attempting to persuade Roy Keane to change his end-of-season plans and make himself available for the US Cup from June 3rd-13th.
America in June, wasn't the only thing on Keane's mind as he came under renewed questioning about Manchester United's disciplinary record and his penchant for bullying match officials. Referring to last month's incident in which he chased referee Andy D'Urso after the award of a controversial penalty to Middlesbrough, he said: "We went over the top in our reaction to that incident. The manager had a word with us after the game and I think it's fair to say that it won't happen again."
After offering the opinion that Manchester United needed to improve their performances by anything up to 20 per cent in the coming months to retain the European Champions League and Premiership titles, Keane turned his attention to the World Cup qualifying campaign in the autumn.
"We should have qualified for the finals of the last two championships, but in spite of having to meet Holland and Portugal, I believe we have the players to succeed now," he said.
Meanwhile, the Czech Republic will be without their first choice goalkeeper, Pavel Srnicek of Sheffield Wednesday, tomorrow.
Coach Jozef Chovanec replaced Srnicek, who will miss the match due to family circumstances, with Radek Cerny from Czech league leaders Slavia Prague, but Rapid Vienna goalkeeper Ladislav Maier is widely expected to start in Srnicek's absence.
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