Morrison looks to Keane influence

SOCCER: Emmet Malone gets the thoughts of striker Clinton Morrison who makes no secret of his admiration for team-mate Roy Keane.

Opposites may be supposed to attract but when you look at Roy Keane and Clinton Morrison wander through the Irish team hotel a couple of days before a World Cup qualifier it occurs to you pretty quickly that this pair might just be the exception that proves the rule.

As he ponders what is probably the biggest game of his international career so far, however, the 25-year-old makes no secret of his admiration for the Manchester United skipper whose ferocity with his own team-mates on the training ground is a constant reminder of just why opponents fear him in the big games.

"I always liked playing with Roy, he was always very good to me," says the Birmingham City striker. "He always took time to talk and advise the younger players and now he has returned to the fold it's no different to the way things were before he left.

"He may not be captain any more but he's no less vocal on the pitch," adds Morrison. "He will still slaughter you, even in training, if you give the ball away but I like that part of him. He has high standards and that is why he has achieved what he has in the game. Not to listen to him would be foolish."

The Corkman's strength in the middle of the field adds a great deal to the Irish game but, says Morrison, much of Keane's value is psychological with opponents conscious that the 34-year-old can mix it at the very highest level long before they see him in the flesh. His team-mates are aware too of how influential he can be.

"He was not fully fit in the Switzerland game but he still played very well and the Swiss were worried about him being there. And when you are sitting in the dressing-room before the game and you see Roy sitting there it is a massive boost. Confidence-wise it feels as good as a goal-start," he says.

"That's largely because he is such a massive presence that the other team are scared of him. Especially without Patrick Vieira, France will not fancy taking us on, and with Roy in the side they will know they are in for a tough game."

Keane's contribution tomorrow night may be of crucial importance but Ireland's fortunes also depend in no small part on being able to score against a side who traditionally have few problems in that department in Paris.

Brian Kerr did concede at one point that he had to provide reassurance to Morrison as his long run without an international goal continued before the game against Cyprus. The striker himself, however, rarely gave an indication of feeling the pressure.

He admits that he did struggle at times although goals in each of Ireland's opening two qualifiers have banished any self-doubt that remained.

"I went through a bit of a barren patch in front of goal but I just made sure my head did not go down, and that I never went hiding and continued to work hard for the team," he says.

"Every striker has a dry spell, but I knew if I kept working at it then the goals would come and that proved to be the case.

"Brian has been fantastic for me," he continues, "and whenever I am with Ireland I always spend time working on my finishing with him. When I was struggling a little bit in front of goal he gave me a video to watch of myself when I was scoring to boost my confidence and he told me to remind myself of what I am capable of. I owe him a lot and would love to repay him in Paris with another goal."

The Stade de France is a daunting place to come looking to repay a debt like that but he and Robbie Keane have scored seven goals in the seven games that they have started together up front with the pair producing three between them in the team's last two outings.

Keane yesterday highlighted Morrison's ability to go up against bigger defenders and still prosper as he has gradually developed his game into something that brings much more to the Ireland set-up than the ability to pounce around the area.

For a while it seemed that it was that relentless willingness to work for his team-mates that may have kept him in the side for he looked incapable of putting away the chances that came his way. If his goal scoring run continues tomorrow night he won't be in Kerr's debt for too much longer.