'Is it an advantage playing at a higher level than Darren Randolph? Not really, no'

Rob Elliot was full of praise for his rival for the Ireland number one jersey.

ROB ELLIOT AND Darren Randolph are more than a little familiar with one another at this stage.

Less than a year separates the duo in age, while both players came through the Charlton Athletic youth system around the same time.

And whereas once, they were competing for the number one jersey at club level, nowadays it is the Ireland goalkeeping spot that they are each vying for.

And with Randolph one of just two players (along with Jon Walters) to have played every minute of Ireland’s World Cup qualifying campaign so far, Elliot acknowledges that the Bray native currently has the edge over him in the battle for a starting position at international level.

“Darren’s been fantastic the last couple of years, since he’s come in (before) the Euros,” he says.

It’s just great to see him and great to train together and push each other on. Whatever happens, I just want the best for the squad.

“You’re competing with people every day, but at the end of the day, it’s down to the manager to pick. We’re all mates, it’s not our decision. So you just get on with it, train hard, enjoy it as much as you can and go from there.”

In addition, owing to Randolph losing his place in the West Ham team and subsequently being sold to Championship side Middlesbrough, Newcastle star Elliot is now the only Irish goalkeeper playing regularly at Premier League level.

However, the Magpies number one is keen to play down the significance of his current superior status at club level.

“Not really, no,” he says, when asked if playing in England’s top flight leaves him with an advantage over Randolph.

Darren’s proven himself in the Premier League and on the international stage. He’s playing every week and the Championship, I can tell you from playing there last year, it’s a high standard, especially at the top — there are eight or nine teams going for promotion.”

Elliot has been capped just four times at international level, with his most recent appearance coming in a 2-2 friendly draw with Slovakia on 29 March 2016. The game in question is one the experienced stopper will never forget, as his night ended prematurely, having suffered a serious knee injury that put him out of action for over a year.

This serious setback, coupled with the fact that Elliot is now 31 and closer to the end of his career than the start, has taught him to appreciate every moment he has left in football.

Recovering from injury itself is sort of a mental battle. It’s the first battle you have to face when coming back from a long injury — just having the strength to do the little things.

“The first day, you’re on the sofa, all you can do is tense your muscle on and off 10 times all day basically. So you just have to apply yourself and think about the things you want to improve.

When you get back fit and are just training every day, you realise what a blessing it is.

“So when you’re in the gym, you just try to work a bit harder and hopefully, you reap the rewards when you come back, because you are that bit mentally tougher.

So you try to take the positives out of it, make the best out of a bad situation, and that’s all you can do.”

Reflecting now that he is completely fit and healthy again, Elliot recalls how there were days when the stress and strain of being out with a long-term injury got the better of him.

You can’t (not be) human,” he adds. “You just have to accept that there are going to be days where you just can’t handle it, whatever it might be.

“Me and the physio had a thing — clear your head and come back tomorrow, because if you’re not in the right frame of mind after a major operation, you don’t want to be doing things that you’re not mentally prepared for.