Staunton sets his sights on record

Steve Staunton, Liverpool's unsettled defender who faces a clear-the-air meeting with manager Gerard Houllier in the summer, …

Steve Staunton, Liverpool's unsettled defender who faces a clear-the-air meeting with manager Gerard Houllier in the summer, yesterday spoke of his ambition to become the first player to win 100 caps for the Republic of Ireland.

Apart from Niall Quinn, Staunton is the only member of the current squad who played in the 1990 World Cup finals and at 31 believes time is still on his side to win the additional 16 caps needed to reach the landmark.

"In this business, it is dangerous to look beyond the next game but I like to think that if my luck holds, I can do it," he said. "The manager picks the team and in that respect, everything is in his hands. But I hope to go on playing well enough to make it difficult for him to leave me out."

Staunton was speaking ahead of the testimonial game he will share with Tony Cascarino at Lansdowne Road tomorrow when Liverpool provide the opposition for an Ireland XI at the start of a busy programme for Mick McCarthy's squad.

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Ahead are games against Scotland, Mexico, the US and South Africa and he will be looking for reassurance that a protracted club season has not blunted the competitive edge of his players.

One of those McCarthy may have in mind is Stephen McPhail. Leeds United's exciting young midfielder has made a significant contribution to the little miracle David O'Leary has performed at Elland Road in the last nine months.

McPhail's talent, which was already being acclaimed while he was still only an apprentice at the club, has flowered so abundantly that he is now regarded as a probable squad member for Ireland's new World Cup campaign.

Whether that translates into a first-team place in the short term remains to be seen but the manager will welcome the opportunity of sending him out in a green shirt for the first time tomorrow.

"It will be a gentle introduction for him and an ideal opportunity of getting to know the other players in the squad," he said. "Young Stephen has had a terrific season at Leeds but I'm sure he'll be just as excited about coming to join the Ireland squad for the first time."

It could be a significant day also for Dominic Foley, a skilled performer at youth and under-21 level for Ireland in recent years. Foley, prominent for Watford in the closing phase of a troubled season, was yesterday summoned to join the squad after McCarthy had reviewed his options.

Liverpool, who are due in Dublin this afternoon, have named a powerful squad for their first visit since the upturn in fortunes at Anfield. The exceptions are Dietmar Hammann and the Czech pair, Patrik Berger and Vladimir Smicer, all of whom have international commitments.

The good news for the club's substantial Irish following is that Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler are included in the travelling party and that could presage difficulties for the central defenders McCarthy selects. This has been perceived as one of the more unsettled areas in the national team and with Kenny Cunningham likely to be deployed at right back, McCarthy's selections in the two pivotal positions may prove revealing.

At this point, some 22,000 match tickets have been pre-sold and the expectation is the attendance could be close on 35,000 for a game which promises much in terms of entertainment.