Welcome break for Quinn

FOR SEVERAL of those players not assured of their place with club sides just now this week's trip to Dublin provides a welcome break from the struggle to prove themselves.

But for Manchester City's Niall Quinn it's also a chance to take his mind off the transfer speculation that has dogged him in the build up to Thursday's English deadline.

Ever since a move to Portugal fell through last year there has been ongoing talk of the Dubliner leaving Maine Road and with Alan Ball signalling his intention to sell in order to buy last week with the completion of Gary Flitcroft's move to Blackburn there is a general air of uncertainty about the club.

Quinn, though, remains confident that he'll see out the season with his club and hopes that his proven battling abilities will help City avoid the drop out of the Premiership. "I honestly don't think he'll sell me. I'm looking forward to being part of the scrap," says the 29 year old in the Irish team's hotel in Dublin.

The last few months have been difficult for Quinn with his place in the starting line up all too often going to rivals. But despite the problems Quinn remains committed to the club and hopes that Saturday's two goals will help convince Ball that he is worth his place over the weeks ahead.

"It's been difficult alright. I played in the reserves on Thursday night in front of 100 people. Frustrating is too kind a word for that. All the time you are thinking of playing on Saturday and then you find that you are on the bench again. Still, whatever anybody else does I just have to concentrate on putting away the chances that come my way and if I can keep on doing that then I'm hopeful that things will work out."

The break from the daily club routine is welcome for Quinn and already he says that new manager Mick McCarthy has impressed the players with his attitude and methods.

"Within 10 or 15 minutes of the first session getting started we knew things were going to be spot on with Mick. He commands our respect and rightly so. People say that he hasn't proven himself and think that might be a concern if he wasn't such a clever man but if you look at someone like Dalglish who got his first job and straight away he was a brilliant manager because he was clever and knew exactly what he wanted to do".

Quinn also says that the new approach McCarthy brings to the squad is timely if the team is to start rebuilding their reputation on the international stage.

"People knew our game and even ordinary teams have suddenly been able to deal with us. It's great to be going into a new system. Everybody has enjoyed the training so far which is very different to the way Jack ran things and there has been a lot more passing.

"It will also be particularly good for the likes of Roy Keane. Not that he's not already very highly rated but to play the sort of game Mick wants to play should mean that he starts to command the sort of respect on the international scene that he really deserves.