Kerr can make fresh start in post-Keane era

Roy Keane always likes to make an impact. Both on-the-field and off it. By announcing his retirement from international football just as the new Republic of Ireland manager, Brian Kerr, embarks on his first game in charge, Keane has made another of those cynical tackles.

Although Kerr will be relieved that the issue is resolved – and that he will be absolved from any blame – Keane has, by revealing his decision to a television station first, gone in with both feet.

The Keane factor has dominated Irish football for the past decade but never more so than since Kerr, an affable 49-year-old Dubliner, took charge a fortnight ago. Will he/won't he has usually been the first and last question Kerr has been asked. And the strain was beginning to show. On Monday, Kerr simply rolled his eyes to the heavens, yesterday he said: "All I can say is that I have not had any calls."

Keane has kept everyone guessing. Again, on Monday, the man who ghosted his autobiography, and the nemesis of the Football Association of Ireland, Eamon Dunphy, predicted in a newspaper column that Keane would return – only to retract the statement.

Last night, Dunphy said: "It's a decision that respects the people he works for and that takes into account the injuries he's had, his age and the ambitions and responsibilities he has as Manchester United captain. He'll be remembered as one of the greatest players ever to play football, one of the greatest players ever to play for Manchester United and one of the greatest captains Ireland has ever had."

Now the issue is resolved. Keane has gone – swayed by his club manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who has seen what an effect retirement from international football has had on Alan Shearer, but also by his own fears about his damaged hip. It means that Kerr can make a clean break – although it would have been better for the new man had the decision been made later this week.

The Irish cause has not been helped by the absence of Robbie Keane and Damien Duff through injury. Yesterday they also lost, as expected, their captain Kenny Cunningham, plus the midfielder Rory Delap and, probably, Steve Finnan, who has a heavy cold. Birmingham's Clinton Morrison will start in attack.

Tonight Kerr, in his first match, will see how much repair work needs to be done. In the opposite dug-out Berti Vogts, approaching his first anniversary as Scotland manager, will be able to assess just how much progress he has made.

Contests between the two sides are traditionally passionate, but low-scoring affairs. Scotland marginally hold the upper hand and will be looking to see if, having beaten Iceland and Canada, the corner has been turned.

Vogts is upbeat about his adopted country's "step-by-step" progress since he succeeded Craig Brown. "We've got more strikers now," the former Germany and Kuwait coach said yesterday, underlining his point by restoring Don Hutchison to attack for the first time since Brown's last game 16 months ago.

In contrast with the opulent Parisian hotel of his first pre-match briefing, Vogts held court at Morton's homely ground in the shadow of the vast, desolate shipyards of Greenock. But his sights are set on more exotic climes, namely Portugal and Euro 2004. Rangers' Steven Thompson is suspended for next month's vital qualifier at home to Iceland, which is why Vogts is keen to pair Hutchison with Stevie Crawford.

With two exceptions, his line-up is decided. He will choose today between Neil Sullivan and Paul Gallacher in goal, neither of whom is his club's first choice. Either Paul Devlin or Neil McCann will operate between attack and midfield, where Paul Lambert and Barry Ferguson will strive to recreate the rapport they showed when Brown brought them together in the Scots' 2-1 friendly win in Dublin in 2000.

SCOTLAND (3-4-1-2): Gallacher (Dundee Utd) or Sullivan (Tottenham); Dailly (West Ham), Anderson (Aberdeen), Pressley (Hearts); Alexander (Preston), Lambert (Celtic), Ferguson (Rangers), Naysmith (Everton); Devlin (Birmingham) or McCann (Rangers); Hutchison (West Ham), Crawford (Dunfermline).

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND (4-4-2; probable): Given (Newcastle); Carr (Tottenham), O'Shea (Manchester Utd), O'Brien (Newcastle), Dunne (Manchester City); Reid (Millwall), Holland (Ipswich), Kinsella (Aston Villa), Kilbane (Sunderland); Morrison (Birmingham), Connolly (Wimbledon).