By Aston
February 14 2006

Ipswich Town goalkeeper Shane Supple is backing Town duo Alan Lee and Owen Garvan to claim places in the Republic of Ireland side.

Lee has been capped 8 times by the republic but his stint at Cardiff saw him fall out of favour. Garvan has been capped at under 15-17 levels but has failed to progress but with the new management team of Steve Staunton and Sir Bobby Robson Shane believes that both Alan and Owen could be involved in the set up.   

 

Supple:  “If Alan Lee keeps going the way he is, I can see him getting a regular place back in the Irish set-up.

 

“There is only really Robbie Keane. Damien Duff can play up there but Alan is playing regular and scoring.

 

“Stephen Elliott and Daryl Murphy at Sunderland are contenders. While Kevin Doyle has been scoring for Reading, but Alan has to have a great chance.

 

“Owen has every chance of jumping straight into the senior side. With so many senior players retiring, he has a great opportunity of taking one of those spaces available.

 

“He has been doing fantastically well for Ipswich and he could cope, no problem.”   

 

While Shane believes that Lee and Price can make the full Ireland side he has not ruled himself out of making the senior squad, adding: “We have seen with Lewis (Price) what can happen when you are playing regular for your club.

 

“If I'm playing first-team football there is a chance that I could get a call-up in March but we will see.

 

“I have not played for my country for the past two years because, even when selected, I have not been able to play but, perhaps, that will change at Under-21 level.

 

“With Alan playing so well, and Owen too, then the Irish scouts are bound to be watching Ipswich so, hopefully, I can catch the eye.”

 

Source: EADT

 

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