Kiely sticks to guns over Irish walk-out
Monday October 26 2009
DEAN KIELY has refused to apologise for walking out of the Irish camp before the May friendly with Nigeria, but insists he has not quit international football.
The 39-year-old believes that Giovanni Trapattoni went back on his word by selecting Shay Given and Keiren Westwood to play a half each in that game, when Kiely came out of the international retirement on the basis that he would be involved in such encounters.
"I was invited back into the squad by Trapattoni, Liam Brady and (Marco) Tardelli," claimed the West Brom man, "What came with that invitation was not a guarantee but they said they understood my situation from before. When friendly games came around, there weren't changes made and I didn't get many opportunities.
"They said that wouldn't occur going forward. I gave up my close season to go and be with Ireland and then the Nigeria game comes along and I am not involved," continued Kiely. "When that understanding is broken, I am not a young lad starting out where I have to bow politely and take what I am given.
"There was no big ranting or raving, fights, fall-outs or arguments. I just made a very calm, calculated decision that I'd rather spend the close season with my family if the way it was sold to me was changed."
Meanwhile, Coventry manager Chris Coleman yesterday delivered a positive bulletin on the well-being of Westwood amid fears that Shay Given's understudy could miss next month's World Cup play-off with France.
Westwood was withdrawn after 10 minutes of his side's 0-0 draw with West Brom on Saturday, but Coleman revealed that it is nothing major to worry about.
"Keiren said before the game he wanted to start but he's obviously felt a niggle in his lower back where he's been having a bit of pain," said Coleman. "So, as a precautionary measure, we thought it better to take him off rather than aggravate the problem."
The rest of Ireland's squad came through the weekend unscathed.
Trapattoni was at both White Hart Lane and Stamford Bridge. He took in the first half of Spurs' 1-0 defeat by Stoke before heading to Stamford Bridge to see Chelsea hammer Blackburn 5-0.
Unconfirmed reports suggested that the Italian sought out Steven Reid for reconciliation talks after the row over his comments regarding the midfielder's well-being.
The 28-year-old was an unused sub in his team's thrashing and must prove his fitness in tomorrow's Carling Cup tie against Peterborough if he is to have any chance of being included in Trapattoni's squad for the French games, which will be named on Friday.
- Daniel McDonnell
Irish Independent
