Kelly and Harte revel in Ireland's family values

Uncle and nephew prove inseparable while Cameroon coach plans downfall of Germany

It is a trivia question worth trying on anyone without an obvious connection to Leeds United or the Republic of Ireland: which uncle and nephew were the two full-backs in the same World Cup team? The answer, well known in Yorkshire and Drogheda, is Uncle Gary Kelly and young nephew Ian Harte, whose mother happens to be Kelly's oldest sister. Walking round Chiba, where the Irish team have been based since playing their opening match, she has a good claim to be the proudest woman at the tournament.

Many squads might find it a distraction to have mums and dads, wives, girlfiends and children around the place. For the Irish, who are apt to fill the hotel lobby with relatives and friends wherever they play, the effect has again been entirely positive. "It's been brilliant," Harte said, "great for everybody. We probably won't ever travel this far again, so it's nice to have the family here. And with the results so far, they've all had a great time."

It might have been a less enjoyable trip for the Harte and Kelly families. Right up until the first game against Cameroon it was assumed that Kelly would be a substitute, but Mick McCarthy was so impressed with his work in training that he picked him at right-back ahead of Steve Finnan. Jason McAteer's recurring knee injury meant that Kelly then played the second half in midfield, before finishing the match at left-back after Harte went down with cramp. So well did he acquit himself in all three roles that he was retained for the second game, against Germany.

While Harte has been the most regular selection in McCarthy's squad, there are those who feel his defensive inadequacies are a liability at this level and that Steve Staunton should move across from centre-half to replace him. They cite as evidence Germany's goal last Wednesday. Others believe that for every goal conceded like that one, he has contributed to two or more with his ability from set-pieces.

Four goals from the 12 qualifying games made Harte Ireland's joint-top scorer with Roy Keane, a particularly important factor since the strikers were not scoring. In Japan he is beginning to feel more confident with the lighter footballs, while acknowledging the need for practice. He likens a free-kick 20 yards out to an important golf shot: "It's a spontaneous thing. The ball is there... the crowd... you have one chance. In practice you have another 100 balls beside you."

Three years younger than Kelly, he followed doggedly in his footsteps from Drogheda to Leeds and then overtaking him at club and international level, as uncle Gary lost out to Danny Mills and Finnan. Kelly believes that an injury to Mills was crucial in getting him back into the Leeds team and match fit towards the end of the season, just as McCarthy was finalising his options: "I was just delighted to be in the squad. But the gaffer [McCarthy] said I'd done well and deserved the chance. Now I just feel it's great to be alive. The '94 World Cup really went over our heads, the young lads, but now we really appreciate it."

His nephew, meanwhile, was stressing how much the players appreciate each other: "We're all comfortable with each other and there's fantastic camaraderie. We have a laugh on the pitch and off it and that's partly why we've done so well." With Ireland, you might say, it's a family affair.