Mick McCarthy may be calling it his team's "toughest task yet'', but in the build-up to tomorrow's World Cup play-off first leg against Iran the Republic of Ireland manager has rarely looked more relaxed. His good humour was further improved yesterday by being able to announce a full house of 24 fit players from whom the side can be chosen – and probably has been already. Most important of all was confirmation that Roy Keane, captain and talisman of his country, will be available to add to his 55 caps. That news alone will send a shiver through the Iranian midfield, composed as it is of clever ball players who, as McCarthy put it "like to play and dribble and express themselves''. The feeling is that they will be rather less expressive with Keane snapping at their heels and shins.Whether Mark Kinsella of Charlton or Ipswich's Matt Holland plays alongside the Manchester United man is one of four choices McCarthy has had to make. At right-back, the contenders are Gary Kelly, who was carelessly sent off in the famous 1-0 victory over the Netherlands, and Steve Finnan, who deputised well for him; there are four centre-halves with good credentials in Gary Breen, Steve Staunton, Kenny Cunningham and Richard Dunne; and who partners Robbie Keane in attack is a tactical issue between little (David Connolly) and large (Niall Quinn).In general, McCarthy's instinct in these matters is to stick with the tried and trusted, a selection policy from which he benefited under his predecessor Jack Charlton.
"The biggest point is how well they've done for me and for Ireland,'' he said yesterday "That's one thing I learnt from Big Jack. When I wasn't playing for Millwall, he still put me in every time, based on my performances for him.''Before that, the manager had been positively skittish on the subject of any perceived difficulties in travelling to Iran next week: "My wife and I agreed it might not be best if we both went – so she's going and I'm staying at home. One of the players asked how long the flight was and I told him 45 minutes, so he seemed fine with that.'' It is actually seven hours, but it will fly by, in every sense, if Ireland obtain the right result.* The Iran coach Miroslav Blazevic, who was sent off for encroaching on the pitch during a 3-1 defeat to Bahrain in October, will not be banned from the touchline after the game's world ruling body Fifa said yesterday that no action will be taken. Ali Vahedi Nikbakht and Sirous Dinmohammadi will be available to play after Fifa decided not to increase their suspensions.. Manchester United's quiet rebel was given a warning last night by one of his closest team-mates "Sir Alex Ferguson is the boss," David Beckham said. "You don't cross him twice." Manchester United's quiet rebel was given a warning last night by one of his closest team-mates "Sir Alex Ferguson is the boss," David Beckham said.
"You don't cross him twice."Scholes stepped out of line on Monday when he refused to play for what was effectively a Manchester United reserve team in the Worthington Cup at Highbury. Ferguson, angry at being disobeyed but aware of Scholes' value to his team, is said to have accepted an apology, probably accompanied by a fine.Beckham, whose own run-in with Ferguson resulted in his being dropped for a match at Leeds after missing training, said yesterday: "You never question Sir Alex Ferguson He's the boss. You only cross him once and that's it."Beckham added: "He's just as intense as ever He can be quite scary He's still got that hunger to win things. He's one of the best managers in the world and you've always got to prove to him you want to be in the team."Ferguson had suggested after Sunday's defeat to Liverpool that the team were no longer sufficiently motivated. They have won once in six matches and slipped to sixth in the Premiership. "Maybe some players have been here too long and are taking success for granted," said Ferguson, who dropped Scholes and substituted Beckham. "It has been a concern for some time and until we address it we will continue getting results like this Liverpool had a greater hunger than us.
