INTERNATIONAL REPUBLIC OF IRELAND v ARGENTINA/(Tomorrow, Aviva Stadium, 7.45pm):NEVER ONE to take sitting out a game lying down, Shay Given yesterday warned that if he is not in the starting line-up for Manchester City's first game of the season this Saturday then he will be knocking on Roberto Mancini's door next Monday morning with the intention of seeing "what the next step is".
Mentioned again over the past few days as a possible target for Arsenal, the Republic of Ireland international admitted he has not been given any indication by the City boss as to who is likely to start against Tottenham at the weekend, but he is aware of rumours that Joe Hart was given assurances that he would start the season in the team after his strong form while on loan at Birmingham last year. He also acknowledged there is probably media pressure in support of his rival because of Hart’s potential to become the undisputed English number one.
“It’s not ideal, obviously,” he said after training with the Ireland squad yesterday. “You want to know, I suppose, mentally whether or not you’re starting, but I don’t know what the manager’s thoughts are because he hasn’t spoken to us.
“I haven’t joined Manchester City to sit on the bench or whatever. I’ve gone there to play; it’s an ambitious club and I’m an ambitious person; I haven’t gone there to take it easy and put my feet up. If that’s not the case, I suppose I’ll sit down on Monday with the club and see where I can go after that.
“But I’ll see how Saturday goes. It’s a bit early yet to say what’s going to happen. The manager hasn’t picked the team yet obviously and he hasn’t spoken to me personally or the team as a whole.
“I’m just desperate to play on Saturday; I hope I’ll play and I’m looking forward to the new season. But if that’s not the case then I’ll have to speak to the club next week and then decide what the next step is. I’m 34 and you cherish every year, every game, really, and you don’t want to miss any football so, for me, it’s very important that I play football.”
That much has always been clear with Given, who upset some Newcastle United fans with his reaction to Steve Harper getting a run in the first team a few years back and has apparently, more than once, expressed a sufficiently strong desire to start for Ireland when previous managers had planned to give opportunities to his understudies.
With Ireland, though, his status as the team’s number one has not been seriously in dispute for a decade now, whereas, with Hart having done so well through the last campaign, Mancini clearly does have a difficult decision to make.
Having spent so much money on outfield players and been forced to draft in a goalkeeper on loan as emergency cover at the tail end of last season, the Italian has suggested, entirely reasonably, his strong preference is to keep both goalkeepers and perhaps rotate the starting place to some extent, but neither man seems likely to settle for that.
“I know I’m at a very exciting club, a very ambitious club with great owners and great ambition to win trophies; that’s why I went there in the first place,” he says. “Joe did well last year and deserves great credit for that, but I’d like to think I did okay myself at Manchester City. I missed only the last week of the season and I worked hard all summer to be fit for the new campaign. I would like to think that would stand me in good stead as well.
“It’s tough,” he acknowledged. We’re both capable of playing in the Premier League and we’ve proved that. It’s not an ideal situation because only one player can play and it’s different if you’re a midfielder, you can sort of rotate them and play them in different positions, but it’s a specialist position and you can only play the one player so it’s not ideal for either of us, whoever doesn’t play, I suppose.
“But if I wasn’t to play then possibly a loan thing or something just to get games really, to get playing because that’s why you play football. From a young age, you just want to play football. It doesn’t matter how old you are or what you’ve done or haven’t done, you just want to play in every game. That’s the bottom line for me.”
The stakes are that much higher because both men have one eye on their international careers, with Given regarding having to cope with emerging pressure as he moves into his mid-30s and Hart anxious to nail down a place in Fabio Capello’s side that is very much there for the taking.
“Yeah, definitely, just look at Keiren (Westwood) in the last year or two; he’s come on in leaps and bounds,” admits Given. “He’s pushing hard for a start here with Ireland. It’s important that I’m playing. We’ve got big games in September and it’s important I’m sharp; you don’t want to be in the reserves then going into the international team for the qualifiers. It’s a different ball game so it’s important that you’re playing to keep you sharp, to keep your eye in.”
Given’s problems, however, may be minor compared to those of Stephen Ireland who may not make Mancini’s squad of 25 for the season. “Yeah, with the squad, you don’t want to miss out a season not playing at all,” says Given. “Stephen’s a top player; last season he was a little hit and miss because he had some problems with injuries and stuff, but the season before he was the first name on the team sheet, he was our best player by a mile.
“And even seeing him training, he’s a top player so if he does move – I hope he stays – but if he does move, whatever club gets him, it will be a big signing for them.”
