FRONTING UP
Veteran Walters wants to remain in O’Neill’s plans
JON WALTERS is eager to extend his Republic of Ireland international career beyond his 35th birthday in September with the approval of manager Martin O’Neill. The veteran striker, who has had an injury-hit season at Burnley, ‘can still bring value to the squad’, according to O’Neill who has lost Daryl Murphy to retirement and has just three strikers on duty this week in Turkey. Adding to his 51 caps will hinge on a clean bill of health for Walters (left) whose last appearance for Ireland was against Serbia in September, while he has not played for Burnley since January 6. ‘Jon would like to continue depending on how things go in
the next couple of months.’ ‘So that will be up to him. He is not one to retire. I think Jon will still want to play when he is 64!’ quipped O’Neill, who didn’t rule Walters out of being part of the set-up should Ireland qualify for the finals of Euro 2020. ‘I don’t know [if that will happen] but that would be something nice to have,’ said O’Neill, who met Walters for a chat in London earlier this year. ‘He came down to a check-up on how his injury was going. He’s still pretty positive so hopefully that keenness will improve as his injury improves.’ ‘I think that he can still bring value to the squad because at this minute we have got Shane Long and the two young lads [Sean Maguire and Scott Hogan]. ‘I also think Jon would be a great influence as well, a bit like John O’Shea was.’ O’Shea, who began his senior international career back in 2001 is set for a Dublin farewell against the USA on June 2, a game which could also mark
Glenn Whelan’s farewell — the Ireland manager intends to speak to the veteran Aston Villa midfielder about his future. O’Neill’s central-midfield options for the UEFA Nations League in the autumn have been diluted after Reading midfielder Liam Kelly opted to seek international recognition with England rather than Ireland. Kelly, 22, has informed O’Neill he would prefer to keep his English options open rather than continue to establish himself with Ireland, for whom he has played at Under 21 level. ‘Liam is born in England and wants to keep his options open at this minute, and that’s fine. I left him a message or two and he got back to me by text,’ explained O’Neill yesterday. ‘I’ve always said it’s the player’s choice, and if he wants to think that England might come in, that’s entirely his decision. ‘I knew where he was born [Basingtstoke] but I spoke to his agent some time ago and I felt that it was always going to be okay. ‘Liam was in a squad before and had to pull out with a hamstring problem,’ added the Derry native.