Irish defender Ian Harte will have surgery on a groin injury in Manchester today and is expected to be laid up for the next six weeks. A spokesman for his club Levante said that because the operation was similar to a previous one undergone by Harte the treatment would be akin to that required for a hernia and was not considered particularly serious.
The injury definitely rules 27-year-old Harte out of Ireland's forthcoming friendly against Portugal in Dublin although Brian Kerr had, in any case, shown little inclination to include him in his recent squads, preferring Alan Maybury as cover at left back.
Harte has played 16 times since moving to Spain last summer and his new club initially enjoyed a remarkable run of form after winning promotion to the Primera Liga. Recently, though, they have been sliding down the table and after losing to neighbours Valencia at the weekend are eight games without a win.
Meanwhile, Shay Given, Robbie Keane and Kevin Kilbane have been named on the shortlist for the Eircom-sponsored Irish International Player of the Year award, the winner of which will be revealed on Sunday, February 6th, three days before the Portugal match.
All three players performed impressively for the Republic during 2004. Given kept clean sheets against Brazil, the Netherlands and France over the course of 11 appearances; Keane took over from Niall Quinn as the country's all-time top scorer with six goals in 10 games; and Kilbane established himself as one of the side's key performers, particularly in Paris, in his new central midfield role.
Andy Reid leads the contenders for the Young Player award after an outstanding first full year as a senior international while John O'Shea and Liam Miller are also nominated. Stephen Elliott, John Fitzgerald and Glenn Whelan are shortlisted for the under-21 award.
Longford Town's Sean Dillon is rewarded for a string of good performances for the FAI Cup winners with a nomination for the Eircom League Player award although Shelbourne's Owen Heary or Jason Byrne look more likely winners.
For the first time there will be an international goal of the year category this year which will be decided by the votes of supporters. The nominated goals - Robbie Keane's against the Netherlands, Reid's against Cyprus and Graham Barrett's against Jamaica - can be viewed again on the eircom, FAI and RTÉ websites. Those voting will be entered into a draw for a trip to the World Cup qualifier in Cyprus in October.
Thomas Butler has started a week's trial with English League side Sheffield Wednesday. The former Sunderland winger was recently released by Dunfermline after a short stay and is now hoping to win a longer term deal after a difficult year from Wednesday boss Paul Sturrock.
Player of the year: Nominations
International: Shay Given, Robbie Keane, Kevin Kilbane.
Young: Liam Miller, John O'Shea, Andy Reid.
Under-21: Stephen Elliott, John Fitzgerald, Glenn Whelan.
National League: Jason Byrne, Owen Heary (both Shelbourne); Sean Dillon (Longford Town).
