SOCCER: Brian Kerr steered clear of a run-in with Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson yesterday when he declined to comment on confirmation that the Scot will attempt to persuade Roy Keane to forsake a return to international football to prolong his club career.

The comments made by Ferguson in an interview with a Sunday newspaper came as no surprise to the new Republic of Ireland manager as it had been widely expected he would do his utmost to protect United's position with regard to the 31-year-old midfielder.

Ferguson, however, made it clear he would prefer the Corkman, who has suffered a number of injury problems over the past few years, to concentrate on what remains of his his club career and Keane has always said he would take on board whatever his manager had to say before making any decision on whether to return to the Ireland set-up.

"I'll sit down with Roy and let him know what I think," Ferguson told the Sunday People. "But you only have to look at how Alan Shearer has benefited from not playing for England to see that it can help players of Roy's age. I'll point to Shearer as an example of what can be achieved by players in their 30s opting out of the international game.

"Shearer discovered that you can't please three parts of the football equation. Maybe Roy would be better settling for just two - Manchester United and himself."

The manager, who enjoys a strong relationship with Keane, added that he did not believe the player's return to the international game was as likely as some observers appear to think and suggested his recent fitness problems should be a significant factor in the decision-making process.

"People are assuming that he is just going to go straight back into international football." he said. "But the situation is more complicated than that. I think the medical staff who look after Roy may be the key people in him reaching his decision."

Having been preoccupied with the business of getting to grips with his new job and naming his first squad for the game against Scotland on Wednesday week, Kerr has yet to sit down with Keane to discuss the player's situation. But there is speculation that Kerr, who said having the midfielder back for the team's qualifying programme next month is the priority, could turn his attention to the question as early as this week.

Keane made it clear he wished to talk with whoever took over from Mick McCarthy and had previously asserted his wish to play for his country again as long as McCarthy was not in charge of the team.

The player has also indicated that the views of his family and his adviser, Michael Kennedy, will play a part in helping him to reach his final decision. Kerr's intention will be to persuade the former Ireland skipper that the team will be run very differently from now on but he will certainly be hoping that between now and their meeting, whenever it finally takes place, the other people who hold any influence with Keane will be better disposed than Ferguson to the prospect of him representing his country again.