Roy Keane is set to discuss his international future with new Ireland manager Brian Kerr in England tomorrow when the pair will attempt to establish enough common ground to enable the 31-year-old midfielder to return for the Republic's forthcoming European qualifying games against Georgia and Albania.
There has been growing speculation with regard to what the basis for such a return might be with the feeling being that Keane is unlikely to be willing to play in friendly games or commit as much time to the squad as the rest of the players.
But, with Kerr set to meet the rest of the squad for the first time in his new capacity ahead of next week's friendly in Scotland, the manager will be conscious he cannot be seen by the rest of the panel to make too many concessions to the Corkman.
There is still little by way of any indication of the player's intentions, with sources close to him being variously credited as having tipped either his return or his continued exile.
What has been strongly flagged in recent times, however, is that the Manchester United player, whose last game for Ireland was against Nigeria in Lansdowne Road on the eve of the Irish squad's departure for Saipan, would make a firm decision on his future before next week's international game in Glasgow.
Over the weekend, United manager Alex Ferguson made plain his preference that Keane concentrate on club football, but there have been reports that his family are anxious for him to play for Ireland again.
A key factor in Kerr's approach to him is expected to be an assertion by the new man that the running of the senior squad will be radically different in future and that the sort of failings that triggered the sequence of events in Saipan that led to Keane being sent home by Mick McCarthy would not be allowed to reoccur under any circumstances.
Kerr will presumably insist, however, that the sort of humiliating breakdowns in communication that led to McCarthy often being left in the dark as to when Keane might join up with his squad ahead of international games would also become a thing of the past.
The recall of Don Hutchison after more than a year out with injury was the main point of interest in the Scotland squad named by Berti Vogts yesterday for next week's game.
Vogts has also included a couple of uncapped players in his panel with young Celtic attacking midfielder Jamie Smith amongst those to get a call up for the first time.
Smith, who has played just eight times for Celtic this year, said that he hadn't believed the news when a friend rang to tell him.
"I though it was a prank," laughed the 22-year-old, "and it was only after I'd checked on the television that I really believed it was true."
Seán McCaffrey, who replaced Brian Kerr as the manager of the Irish under-19 team last week, has named his squad for next week's two friendly matches against Slovakia.
The games will take place at Buckley Park and Dalymount Park on Tuesday and Thursday evenings respectively and will be used as preparation for the European qualifying mini-tournament which will be held here between May 11th and 15th.
Ireland will play England in their first game while matches against Switzerland and Slovenia will complete their programme over the following four days.
SCOTLAND SQUAD: Douglas (Celtic), Gallacher (Dundee United), Sullivan (Tottenham Hotspur); Alexander (Preston North End), Anderson (Aberdeen), Caldwell (Newcastle United), Dailly (West Ham), Malcolm (Rangers), Matteo (Leeds United), Pressley (Hearts), Ross (Rangers); Cameron (Wolves), Gemmill (Everton), McNamara (Celtic), Devlin (Birmingham City), Ferguson (Rangers), Lambert (Celtic), Naysmith (Everton), Smith (Celtic); Crawford, (Dunfermline Athletic), Dobie (West Brom), Hutchison (West Ham), Kyle (Sunderland), McCann (Rangers), Miller (Wolves), Thompson (Rangers).
Ireland under-19 squad: Ditmar (Liverpool), Doyle (Birmingham City), Deery (Derry City), Fitzgerald (Blackburn Rovers), Clancy (Millwall), Ennis (Aston Villa), Bell (Rushden and Diamonds), Rice (Shelbourne), Flood (Manchester City), Keegan (Leeds United), Whelan (Manchester City), Bradley (Arsenal), Timlin (Fulham), Kilkenny (Arsenal), Byrne (Manchester United), Quigley (Millwall), Yeates (Tottenham Hotspur), Flood (Bray Wanderers), Mulvihill (Longford Town), O'Brien (Newcastle United).
THE Republic of Ireland's international games against Scotland next week will be shown live on Sky Sports 1. The under-21 game on Tuesday evening and the senior match the following night will start at 8.0 p.m.. Highlights of the senior match will be shown on Network 2 at 10.50 p.m. on Wednesday night.
