Kilbane eager to banish bad memories of Holland

The transfer rumour machine had it that Kevin Kilbane would be otherwise engaged in London yesterday, finalising a £750,000 move from Everton to Fulham, but the midfielder turned up for international media duty at Ireland's team hotel, dismissing any suggestion that he was on the verge of leaving Goodison Park. "I spoke with the manager in the summer and that's it, I suppose what is going on now is just paper talk and I want to stay at Everton," he said.

For now, then, Kilbane insists his thoughts are focused solely on international and not club matters, Saturday's game against Germany giving the players the chance to bury memories of that nightmarish performance against Holland. "We just have to put it right, really," he said. "We've all been around long enough and played enough games to know that we let ourselves down badly.

" We didn't perform and we let the supporters down as well. We just need to get back out on the pitch and put things right. We have good players and big game players in our squad so we can do that. We have to try and bounce back quickly."

What role, if any, Kilbane will play on Saturday remains to be seen, but he's hoping his versatility will get him in the side, whatever the position.

"I don't know where Stan sees me long-term but, once I get in, I just want to cement a place in the side. I've played on the left wing for virtually all of my career but you're never going to dislodge Damien (Duff) from that position."

"I'd be happy to play at left-back, I just want to be in the side and you can't say 'no' to any position. Stan will have his own ideas and I'm sure he has the team in his head already. I remember Mick McCarthy saying to me that he could see me as a left-back one day and I played some of the (2002) World Cup there, but it's all about where different managers see you fitting in. I'll just wait and see if I'm picked - hopefully I will be, but I don't really know."

If he'd resisted his move to Everton three years ago and stayed where he was Kilbane would now be serving a new boss, one Roy Keane. The notion brings a smile to his face, but he's convinced his old club has got it right in appointing his former Irish team-mate. "I am sure Roy is going to be a success as a manager, I'm really hoping he will bring a lot of determination and positivity to the club and the lads will respond to that."

What, though, does he reckon the Sunderland players are in for? "Well, after games Roy is very calm and thinks about what he is going to say and he will tell players what they have done right, he will give you that pat on the back when you need it. I really think he will be very good for the players. He could be ferocious on the pitch but he does have a calmer side that probably goes unnoticed and doesn't get talked about so much."

While Kilbane was insisting that the looming transfer deadline wasn't on his mind it most certainly is on Andy O'Brien's. The central defender would not appear to be part of Harry Redknapp's plans at Portsmouth, where he has yet to play a game this season, making him eager for a move before the window closes. "I'm waiting to see if anything happens because the situation is still the same, that if a satisfactory offer came in for me then the club would be prepared to consider it.

"If that doesn't materialise then I'll be working hard to try to change his opinion," he said. "I left Newcastle for Portsmouth in order to play. Football's about opinions and the manager who signed me only lasted 10 games so it's another opinion."