By Cathal Dervan

Keane, who has declined an invitation to a dinner for all former internationals on Friday night, is up in arms over Staunton’s decision not to name Liam Miller or David Connolly in his squad for the games against Wales (March 24) and Slovakia (March 28) at Croke Park.

He said, “These lads should be in the squad, it’s a disgrace. There’s no doubt a lot of politics involved and it does irritate me. I thought when the new manager came in some players would have a clean slate, but that’s not the case.

“I can understand Daryl Murphy not getting in because he’s not played for us much. But are you telling me there are better players on better form than Connolly and Miller?

“Dave had a falling out years ago with Don Givens. Don’s involved with the under-21s and they all talk to each other. What’s holding back Liam Miller is the fact that he’s from Cork, without a doubt.

“People think I’m crazy for saying that, but I’m not. That would definitely go against him, but you don’t know the FAI as well as I do.”

Championship based Miller, Connolly, Clinton Morrison and Alan Lee all miss out on the Wales and Slovakia squads but Staunton has refused to rise to Keane’s bait.

Staunton said, “I’ve seen how well the likes of David Connolly and Clinton have done this season. I’m pleased they’re doing well. I would say Sunderland are probably the most-watched team myself and my scouting network has monitored since I came into the job.

“But what you’ve got to remember that we have four Premiership strikers in the squad now.”

Staunton has included Celtic defender Darren O’Dea in the senior squad for the first time, but fellow debutant Caleb Folan, the Wigan striker who qualifies under the parentage rule, has already been ruled out by injury. His place has been taken by Wolves youngster Andy Keogh.

Staunton said, “Darren is doing very nicely for Celtic. When I spoke to Gordon Strachan in the earlier part of the season he felt he wasn’t ready at that point but 16 games later in different competitions he’s got a different opinion and rightly so.

“When you play regularly at Parkhead in front of 65,000 it makes you a better player. He could have got man of the match in the games against AC Milan and looks the sort that if I were to play him he wouldn’t let us down.”

Reading’s Kevin Doyle, Birmingham’s Stephen Kelly and Newcastle keeper Shay Given are all back after missing the controversial win in San Marino.

Ireland squad: Given (Newcastle), Colgan (Barnsley), Henderson (Preston); McShane (West Brom), Dunne (Manchester City), Finnan (Liverpool), O’Dea (Celtic), O’Shea (Manchester United); Kilbane (Wigan), Ireland (Manchester City), Carsley (Everton), Douglas (Leeds), McGeady (Celtic), Hunt (Reading), A Quinn (Sheffield United), Duff (Newcastle), Gibson (Manchester United); Keane (Tottenham), Stokes (Sunderland), Doyle (Reading), Long (Reading), Folan (Wigan).

O’Dea for Celtic

DUBLINER Darren O’Dea wants to make it impossible for Gordon Strachan not to pick him as a first team regular after committing his future to Celtic until 2010.

The former Home Farm player, included in the Irish squad for Saturday’s clash with Wales, has been a Champions League revelation at the heart of the Bhoys defense this season.

Strachan has tipped O’Dea to make it to the very top after signing the 20-year-old on a long-term contract in the wake of his heroics against AC Milan at the San Siro.

And O’Dea said, “I’m delighted but I’m in no way satisfied. I want to kick on from here. The contract is a reward for the hard work I’ve done but I want to push on now and play in many more games for the club.

“It’s nice the club do value me but I want to kick on and push for the first team. I know I have a lot of quality ahead of me so it’s up to me to work as hard as I can. Playing in the games such as AC Milan helps you as a player but I still have a hell of a lot of growing to do.

“I learn from all the players, they are all top quality and every day in training and in every game I’m learning. Everything makes me want to stay here long term. Playing in front of 60,000 and nights like the one against AC Milan are superb.

“I like the club, I have a lot of friends here and have no intention of moving anywhere else. I want to push for the first team and a regular spot but I know there is a lot of quality ahead of me. It’ll be hard work but I’m willing to do that.”

Strachan said, “Center-halves take a lot longer to learn their trade. Attacking instinct is a natural flair, defending is not natural as we don’t want to do that at school.

“If Darren goes about his job the right way and is professional then he can play like David Weir to 36 or Steven Pressley at 33. I still think center-halves, unless they are exceptional, are at their best between 29 and 34.

“Darren is willing to learn every day which is a great thing not just for me but for the other coaches. He’s willing to listen but he’s also able to stand up and be his own man which is a great thing.

O’Dea was only a sub as 10 man Celtic lost 1-0 to Falkirk on Sunday, their second defeat in seven days as they look for the three wins needed to secure the title.

Craig Beattie missed an early penalty, Stephen McManus was sent off and the visitors spurned several scoring chances, but manager Strachan is refusing to panic despite three straight defeats against AC Milan, Rangers and Falkirk.

Strachan said, “We’ve had bad periods in terms of how we’ve played but managed to get through. We’ve had worst periods of actually playing the game and making chances.

“I don’t sense any anxiousness in the team’s play. If you look at the play against Falkirk, it was all controlled football and doing what we wanted to do. The plans on how to play went exactly that way, but the finishing and decision-making gave us a problem.”

Kerr Returns

BRIAN Kerr is back in football with his beloved St. Patrick’s Athletic after the club was taken over by wealthy Dublin businessman Garrett Kelleher.

Kerr, manager of the Ireland squad prior to Stephen Staunton’s appointment last year, won two league titles with the club in the 1990s and has been appointed as director of football to work alongside manager John McDonnell.

Kerr said, “My new role at the club will be director of football, and straight away let me say that there will be no problem working with our manager John McDonnell. John and I have worked together in the past and he won’t have to be looking over his shoulder if the club hit a bad run of results.

“It’s great to be back, but I’m sure as regulars at Richmond Park will know, I never really went away. I have been attending games at Inchicore every second Friday over the past few seasons. Over the past few years I have probably seen nearly as many eircom League of Ireland games than I did when I was managing in the League.

“Since leaving the national team job I have had a small number of opportunities to work abroad and in Ireland. Some of those offers I chose not to pursue and a number did not ultimately crystallize into firm offers.

“I was never really attracted to the English game or living in England, and so when Garrett Kelleher approached me I reviewed my position. Now my energies will be concentrated on establishing the Super Saints as one of the leading clubs in Ireland.”

Phelan Job

FORMER Irish defender Terry Phelan, whose mother hails from the town, has emerged as a candidate for the managerial vacancy at Sligo Rovers. He told the Irish Sun, “It’s always been an ambition of mine to go to Sligo. It’s my hometown club –- my mother’s hometown club -– and I love the area.

“Other managers have shown that doing well at Sligo can be a springboard. People like Steve Cotterill, who started at Sligo and is a very highly-rated manager in England.”

Soccer Shorts

ANDY Reid will miss the rest of the Premiership season after surgery to cure a long-standing hamstring injury . . .

WEST Brom have been linked with a loan move for Portsmouth’s former Irish defender Andy O’Brien . . .

IRELAND have slipped five places to 51st in the FIFA world rankings with Northern Ireland up to 47th . . .

WATERFORD United have signed former Shelbourne goalkeeper Dean Delaney.

Cheltenham Wrap

IRELAND’S Cheltenham campaign ended with just five wins at the 2007 festival, but Irish jockey Ruby Walsh was the star of the show as he guided the hotly fancied English horse Kauto Star to victory in Friday’s Gold Cup despite a mistake at the last.

Walsh told Racing UK, “He got there easily enough, there was just a little doubt about whether he would get home or not, but thankfully he did. I didn’t notice his mistake at the last!

“I completely forgot about all the pressure during the race, despite everybody having an opinion on Kauto Star. That is the greatest race and he has won it easily.

“People have been asking if he would stand up or not, but he has proved it under pressure now and landed a £1million bonus in the process.”

Meanwhile, the Irish owned and trained Dun Doire is now the favorite for the English Grand National next month after ante-post favorite Nil Desperandum was fatally injured at Uttoxeter on Saturday.