Kelly can go, says Souness - January 5, 2001
Blackburn manager Graham Souness last night told Irish international goalkeeper Alan Kelly: "You can leave Ewood".
Kelly slapped in a transfer request after being demoted to third place in the Blackburn pecking order - behind Brad Friedel and John Filan - and now his request has been granted.
The 33-times-capped 'keeper is well aware that he needs to be playing first-team football to keep his international career alive.
"I'm Ireland's current No. 1 keeper and we have two very important World Cup qualifying games coming up in March," he said. "I have spoken to Mick McCarthy and he has told me that if I'm not playing first team football then Shay Given or Dean Kiely might get the nod over me - although Mick has been very good about it all.
"I've played only two games in the last three months and only one of those has been in the first team. I don't even train with the first team any more."
The former Sheffield United and Preston star faces the stiffest competition ever for his Ireland jersey. Apart from Kiely and Given, both playing in the Premiership, there is Hibernian's Nick Colgan, who has kept 14 clean sheets in 27 starts this season.