Shay Given eager to add to tally of caps but team-mates may well have mixed emotions

For Shay Given to decide he wants to add to his 125 international caps is perfectly understandable, but then it would be reasonable, too, for the other goalkeepers

to greet his return with, well, mixed emotions.

If they are upset, the 38-year-old assured us at training yesterday, they’re putting a brave face on it, although he acknowledged with a laugh that having welcomed him back warmly, their mood might be different now he’d popped over to talk to the press.

Before his two years away from the international scene, Given’s determination to play even friendly games must have driven several of his colleagues to distraction and (apart from earning the occasional scorn of one Roy Keane) it is said to have contributed to at least one player’s decision to retire from the international game.

Starting spot

If the reports last week that he had been guaranteed his starting spot back on his return had been true who knows, another one or two might have considered their positions but the Donegalman laughs, at the very idea of it.

“There’s no guarantees I’m going to play,” he says frankly. “And there’s no demands from me that I need to play if I’m coming back.”

“But I’m in no position to say I should be playing or to be making demands that I’ll only come in if I play. I’m just delighted to be here. It’s up to Martin and Roy. They pick the team.

“Hopefully I’ll get a nod, but if I don’t, I’ll be fully behind the goalkeeper who plays and the team as well if my experience can help, not just the goalkeepers, but the outfield players as well.”

Given feels he has another campaign and tournament finals in him, perhaps even more for he mentions speaking with Pat Jennings recently, who recalled having played in a World Cup at 41 and told him he should give it a try. The former Celtic and Sunderland goalkeeper might yet decide he can go one year better in 2018.

Road to run

There is a lot of road to run before that, though, and this week is an important first hurdle. Critically, he must convince O’Neill that he does have something beyond his vast experience.

At some stage too he’ll have to do the same on a club manager (he was hoping for word last night but could still earn a move to the Championship if it didn’t come) for he knows that showing Keane what he can do in training each day can only be expected to get him so far.

“Yeah, time does age you but I am working hard in the gym, doing yoga and doing all the stuff that when you get older that helps you keep flexible.

“I played last week and felt sharp. I played a few games in pre-season as well so I feel sharp. Ideally, though, I’d like to play more games to get match sharpness.

“I think that’s normal with any position although goalkeeper is slightly different as you could get away with a little bit more as you don’t have to have the fitness levels when you are playing 90 minutes outfield but obviously it’s not ideal; you want to be playing as much as possible.”

Being back, though, is “a boost”, but regaining his shirt would, no doubt, be a bigger one. The smiles on the other goalkeepers’ faces would surely start to look a little strained at that stage though.