A WEEK AGO, Shay Given was on the fringes for club and country.
As he took the elevator down into the bowels of the Aviva Stadium’s West Stand last night, the Liffordman was suddenly in the box seat again.
In the space of four days, Given has gone from periphery to possible limelight again.
He turns 40 next month, but injuries to Jack Butland and Rob Elliot mean the veteran goalkeeper has been handed an unlikely reprieve.
Given hasn’t played since twisting a knee in the first half of the Republic of Ireland’s 1-0 win over Germany in Dublin back in October.
Extensive treatment, including a trip to a rehabilitation centre in Qatar, helped Given over the injury and he’s now ready to fill voids for Stoke City and Ireland.
On Saturday, Jack Butland, Stoke’s number 1 stopper, fractured an ankle during England’s win over Germany in Berlin, thrusting Given in the picture for a return to club colours when Stoke take on Swansea on Saturday.
“I feel I could play at the weekend – it has given me a lift and I had a buzz in training today,” Given said last night.
Butland’s injury and likely elevation of Given up the pecking order at Stoke also raised his hopes of going to Euro 2016 with Ireland.
Now, though, it seems as if Given could actually board the plane to France as Martin O’Neill’s number 1.
Last night, Elliot was carried off the field on a stretcher during the 2-2 draw against Slovakia and will now be out of action for six months.
Elliot sustained the injury as he tried to keep out Miroslav Stoch’s opening goal.
“I haven’t spoken to the manager yet about Saturday. It is an opportunity for me to get on the plane (to France) like the rest of the boys,” Given, who was working as a pundit for Setanta Sports, said.
“Jakob Haugaard could play, but I would love to play against Swansea. I just spoke to Martin (O’Neill). He asked me how I was.
“He is hoping I get into the Stoke team to make the decision more difficult for him.”
With Darren Randolph in reserve at West Ham and David Forde playing his football with Millwall in League One, Given is now the prime candidate to play in France.
‘Shay came into the dressing room after the game,’ O’Neill said last night.
‘I think he was doing some work for TV. I mean obviously the injury to their goalkeeper at Stoke has maybe hastened things on a little bit for him.
‘He looked really well. He was nicely dressed but it is a totally different issue to seeing someone on the field of play. But he looked remarkably good. I think he’s ready for it now (returning to competitive action) which is great.’
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