SHAY GIVEN WILL improve his chances of travelling to Euro 2016 as part of Ireland’s 23-man squad with a run in the Stoke City team, says manager Martin O’Neill.
39-year-old goalkeeper Given is back in full training after recovering from a knee injury which has kept him out of action since October.
His return to fitness has coincided with the Potters number one Jack Butland fracturing his ankle during England’s win over Germany in Berlin on Saturday night.
Butland had started every game this season but is now set for a prolonged period on the sidelines, which may open the door for Given.
Along with Darren Randolph, Rob Elliot, David Forde and Keiren Westwood, he is aiming to travel to France this summer as one of Ireland’s three goalkeepers.
“It’s unfortunate about the young goalkeeper at Stoke and I’m not picking Stoke City’s team but if that gives Shay an opportunity to play regularly between now and the end of the season of course it give him a really good chance,” O’Neill said at the FAI’s National Training Centre today.
“Jon Walters was filling us in and saying he was getting back to full training so if this spurs him on then well done. I’ll get the chance to speak to him in the next 24 hours.”
Captain Robbie Keane has travelled back to LA for treatment from his club as he hasn’t been able to shake off a persistent knee injury in time to feature against Slovakia at the Aviva Stadium tomorrow night.
And while O’Neill says it is too early to make any predictions about how long the striker will be out for, he doesn’t believe it will prevent him from competing at a third major tournament.
“I think he was concerned about it because he doesn’t remember exactly what happened and thought it might be a little bit of a knock,” O’Neill added.
When that’s not going away immediately then you start to get a bit of a concern.
“He feels as, at worst, he might get it scoped and have a look around to see what it is. In this day and age, that doesn’t take too long.
“If there are any real worries he will let us know in the next couple of days but I don’t think he is overly-concerned.”
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