Given set to take his place at Croke Park

Soccer/ European Championship Qualifying Republic of Ireland v Wales: Over 15 years, he recalls, after attending a Packie Bonner course in Letterkenny as a 14-year-old, Shay Given paid a brief visit to Dublin yesterday to launch this year's National Irish Bank-sponsored FAI summer soccer schools.

One of the aims is to help bring out the talent in children to enable them to become the Givens, Damien Duffs and Robbie Keanes of the future. Unfortunately, with the senior team's European qualification hopes fading fast and a couple of big games around the corner, it's not surprising the 30-year-old spent most of his time fielding questions about the fortunes of the current lot.

Given's impressive form for club and country over the past few years has marked him out as the international side's outstanding figure. That status has hardly been dented by his absence due to injury from the games against the Netherlands, Cyprus and San Marino, all of which, it was put to him, might have gone better had he been available.

"You just can't say that," he says. "It's all ifs, buts and maybes. I mean, who's to say that it wouldn't have been worse if I'd been there?"

We can, it's true, only speculate, but there will be much relief Given feels he will be fit for this month's games against Wales and Slovakia. Should he play in both he would equal Bonner's record of 80 appearances in goal for the Republic.

"I've had my fair share of injuries this year, so you don't want to tempt fate, but I've played the last couple of games for Newcastle and the groin and whatever has been fine. At the moment I just want to get through this week's game in the Netherlands (against AZ Alkmaar in the Uefa Cup), but hopefully I'll be right for Ireland."

At club level this season's campaign in Europe, he concedes, represents an important opportunity for Newcastle to end their, and his, painfully long run without an honour.

On the international front, taking six points from the games, he says, is vital to maintain any real hope of Ireland making it to next year's European Championship finals. That these will be the Republic's first outings at Croke Park will, he insists, provide an additional incentive to the players.

"We've got to win them both," he says. "If we do that then we're back in a strong position. I'm very excited about the games, they're massive, and I'm certainly looking forward to them rather than fearing them and what might be written.

"Croke Park is a terrific place and these are more than just games, they're historic occasions. But we all realise that's it's up to us as players to make it special for the fans as well, it's not just going to happen if we don't go out there and perform."

He was surprised by the reaction to last month's narrow win in San Marino.

"I know they're a small country and we should probably be beating them more easily, but I still can't understand how we got such stick when we won the game. In 10 years it'll be in the history books that we won. It's a sad day when that's the case, but you still get battered from pillar to post afterwards."

Battered most severely, of course, was the team manager whose position is sure to be the subject of renewed speculation if Ireland fare poorly this month.

Asked if he felt the treatment of Steve Staunton has been unfair, Given, who said he was not aware of any players having threatened to retire if Staunton were dismissed, suggested the scrutiny the Louthman has been subjected to simply comes with the job.

"If the results aren't going well then the buck stops with the manager, that's the case at club and international level. Steve knows that, he wasn't born yesterday. He's an experienced player and an experienced man in football.

"If we'd won every game so far," he concluded, "then people would be saying he's the best manager in the world, so it's about getting the balance right."