Record Irish goalscorer Robbie Keane is a doubt for Ireland's Euro 2012 qualifier against Macedonia on March 26th, as he recovers from a calf injury.
Keane’s participation in the Ireland squad is ‘touch and go’ as it is estimated that the crucial qualifier may come a week before Keane gets the all clear to resume playing.
Dublin born Keane has scored 45 goals in 104 international appearances for Ireland and was expected to play a major role in the Aviva stadium clash and the push for Euro 2012 qualification.
The Worrying news about Keane will be another concern for Ireland boos Giovanni Trapattoni who will be without No.1 goalkeeper Shay Given for the Dublin game after a shoulder injury ruled him out.
Robbie Keane is hoping to get his loan spell at West Ham off to a scoring start in Wednesday’s crucial Premier clash with Blackpool and is keen to wear his new number 34 shirt for the first time.
Keane has settled well in his first few days at Upton Park and is confident he can leave his mark on West Ham’s fight for Premiership survival.
“I am really pleased to have signed and now I just can’t wait to start training and playing football, I am ready to help West Ham stay in the Premier league, which is the most important thing for this club.”
“I feel as fit as I have ever done in my life and I feel I have plenty left to offer at the highest level for the next four or five years”
“When I went on loan to Celtic I scored seventeen goals in nineteen games, and if I can do even half as well as I did there, then I’d be happy."
“This is an opportunity for me. The team are bottom and the only thing we can do is push up the table. I want to help us do that and avoid relegation."
West Ham chairman David Gold says the club have agreed a deal to sign Tottenham's Irish striker Robbie Keane on loan until the end of the season.
The Hammers have brought in the Ireland record goalscoring international with a view to making the deal permanent at the end of the campaign.
"We're delighted to sign a world class striker," Gold said after their FA Cup win over Nottingham Forest.
"Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy drives a hard bargain but we've got our man."
They are expected on Monday to officially unveil Keane, who attended the Hammers' 3-2 win over Forest and will earn in the region of £70,000-a-week.
Keane joins Ba and earlier arrivals Wayne Bridge, on loan from Manchester City, and Gary O'Neil, from Middlesbrough, at West Ham during what has been a busy transfer window.
Ireland striker Shane Long has pledged his immediate future to Reading after another match winning performance by the in-form .
Long took his tally to six goals in his last five games with a brace in the 2-1 win over Burnley last weekend.
The Tipperary born Irish international assured Royals fans that he has no plans to leave during the January transfer window, despite strong rumours that West Ham boss Avram Grant is keen on bringing Long to Upton Park to help secure the Hammers Premiership position.
He told the Reading Evening Post: "There's always rumours going around and there were a lot in the summer as well.
"I'm enjoying my football here at Reading at the moment and I know this team is destined for big things and I want to be a part of that. I just have to concentrate on my own game and what will be will be.
"These things happen if you're scoring goals, but I'm just enjoying my football. I want to be part of a good Reading side right now."
Reports today are suggesting that West Ham’s Mark Noble has decided to switch his international allegiance from England to Ireland.
The 23 year old central midfielder has played all his youth and first team football for West Ham and despite his still relatively young age, is their longest serving player, joining the club as a full time trainee in the summer of 2003 and making his first team debut at the age of 17 in the Carling Cup against Southend in 2004.
Noble is seen as a combative central midfielder, always strong in the challenge and has a fantastic engine enabling him to play an old fashioned box to box central midfield role. And its no coincidence that Giovanni Trapattoni’s Ireland side have been struggling in the central midfield area for the past year, with Glen Whelan, Darron Gibson and Paul Green all failing to stamp their authority in the central midfield position during recent internationals. Ireland assistant boss Marco Tardelli was at Upton Park last night to see West Ham seal an extra-time victory over Stoke and a place in the Carling Cup quarter-finals.
Noble has represented England at u21 level and is believed to have been approached previously by Ireland when Steve Staunton was manager of the international side, a request that was declined by Noble at the time.
If the reports suggesting Noble’s change of international direction are true, it will come as a surprise to some in England who thought the Hammers midfielder could still challenge for a squad place in Fabio Capello’s side, although dislodging Gerrard and Lampard was an unlikely scenario for Noble.There has been no formal or official confirmation from Noble or the FAI on the international allegiance issue, as yet.
SSN are reporting that West Ham have now entered the race to sign Portsmouth captain Marc Wilson.
The 23-year-old Irish international defender is subject to interest from a number of top-flight sides, with West Brom having already had a £3million bid turned down.
Fulham are also keen, while Stoke are thought to be lining up a player-plus-cash deal for the defender - with Dave Kitson and Liam Lawrence discussing moves in the opposite direction - estimated to be worth around £3.5m.
But Avram Grant's West Ham have now also made an approach, as they are eager to shore up a leaky defence which has already conceded six goals in their opening two Premier League defeats.
Pompey boss Steve Cotterill previously admitting he would be powerless to prevent the County Antrim born defender from leaving Fratton Park if the club receive the right offer
A second half goal by Ireland striker Daniel Kearns at Tolka Park on Thursday night made it two wins from this week's double-header friendly against Poland.
Belfast born Kearns marked his first start for Ireland with a goal which gave his side a 1-0 victory in the U-19 international.
The pair of victories in their final warm-up games will give the Irish a boost ahead of the UEFA Elite qualifiers which takes place in Ukraine from May 26-31 against England, Bosnia-Herzegovina and mini-group hosts.
It took an Irish attack of sublime quality in the 58th minute to break the deadlock. Substitute Conor Henderson split the vistors' defence with a threaded pass to Doran on the left, who in turn found Kearns in the box with his back to goal. The West Ham United forward turned his marker brilliantly and fired a low shot past Socha in the Poland goal.
Daniel Kearns was delighted to score the winner on the night in only his second game under Sean McCaffrey.
He admitted: "Obviously it was brilliant for me to score on my first start." However, he was even happier with the team's performance over the two games "These games have been great preparation for the elite qualifying stage. We have a very tough group so it will be good to go into the qualifiers on the back of two good performances."
Ireland: Ger Hanley (Mervue United); Padraic Ormsby (Shamrock Rovers), Gavin Gunning (Rotherham United), Rob Kiernan (Kilmarnock), Shaun Timmins (Birmingham City); Aaron Doran (Blackburn Rovers), Jimmy Keohane (Wexford Youths), Conor Hourihane (Sunderland), Daniel Kearns (West Ham United); Jamil Adam (Barnsley), Charlie Collins (MK Dons)
Substitutions: Ronan Murray (Ipswich Town) for Collins, Conor Henderson (Arsenal) for Keohane (both h/t), Thomas McBride (Derry City) for Hourihane, Gary Burke (Bohemians) for Kearns (both 65 mins), Cian Bolger (Leicester City) for Kiernan, Ryan Brennan (Drogheda United) for Adam (both 76 mins), Shane McEleney (Derry City) for Timmons (84 mins)
West Ham's young Irish striker Terry Dixon is close to making a full recovery from injury and is pushing for a first-team place.
The Ireland under 21 international striker has had a horrendous string of injuries which looked as though they were going to bring a premature halt to his career after Spurs allowed him to leave White Hart Lane after a string of knee problems.
West Ham took a gamble and after a trial period he was offered a three-year deal last month and now Gianfranco Zola is keen to see what he can do.
"Everybody keeps talking about Terry Dixon but I have not seen him play yet," Zola told the East London Press. "Hopefully soon he will be training with me so I will try to have an idea about him as a footballer.
"They told me he was quite a talent and I'm really curious. This is a good opportunity for him. I think this club has been very good to him and I want to see how he takes the opportunity.
"A big satisfaction would be to see him have some success because he was ruled out from the game."
