ROY KEANE had no apologies to offer to the public over his repeated absence from the national squad on his return to the fold in Dublin yesterday.

On a raw, squally day, with little team news to excite, Keane's first day with his Ireland colleagues in almost eight months, seemed as good a storyline as any to fill column inches.

But if the Manchester United player sensed the opportunity of redressing sonic damaging inferences about his priorities in football, it wasn't immediately apparent.

He shunned the print media after a 90-minute training session at Clonshaugh, preferring, instead, to say his piece to an RTE reporter. And it made for interesting listening.

Asked if he was concerned about the public's reaction to his frequent withdrawals from the Irish squad, he said: "No, not really. I don't care what people think. It's all sorted out between me and Mick."

I had a private chat with him and we sorted it out. What was said, remains private. I missed two games through injury and then withdrew from the US Cup because of a private matter. That's all in the past. I'm just happy to be back in the squad and looking forward to playing in the new system under Mick McCarthy.

"We had a great 10 years under Jack Charlton. Now there is a new manager with new ideas and a different way of playing and, hopefully, we'll have the same success."

Keane confirmed that he was now injury free but admitted he probably needs another three or four games to get back to full match fitness. One of these is certain to materialise next Sunday. While McCarthy refuses to speculate on the formation of his team, his desire to rehabilitate the Manchester United player is such that he will name him in his starting line-up.

Just where he chooses to deploy him, however, is another matter, with opinion equally divided on the merits of a midfield posting or an emergency role in defence in place of the inured Steve Staunton.

Tony Cascarino, against all expectations, was released from a club game with Marseilles last evening to join in the squad training where the only notable absentee was Phil Babb.

Babb was not required to break sweat after complaining of a knee injury sustained in Liverpool's game against Blackburn last Sunday. but he will be expected to participate in at least one of the two sessions planned for Oriel Park today.

"I don't think it's a serious problem for Phil, apparently he always has a soreness in his knee after playing a game," said McCarthy. "But we'll be looking at him in training."

This business of World Cup qualification is a grim one and, to give emphasis to the point, the manager confirmed that three of the next four work-outs will be behind closed doors.

Moreover, he is not prepared to say when he will go public with his team selection. "I've enough pressures without the added one of meeting a deadline to name the team," he told reporters.

Ian Wright believes England boss Glenn Hoddle has got ii right with his relaxed and sympathetic management style.

Hoddle has been criticised for his kid-glove treatment of problem players, notably Paul Gascoigne.

But notorious rebel Wright, celebrating his international recall, believes any way is better than the old-fashioned, regimental sergeant-major approach of Bruce Rioch which drove the veteran Arsenal striker to the brink this year.

Now he is prospering again under Frenchman Arsene Wenger and 13 goals has put him in line for a World Cup place in Georgia on Saturday.