STRANGE SPECULATION OVER RANDOLPH’S FUTURE SHOULD BRING BACK-UPS TO THE FORE

A STORY about Darren Randolph retiring from international football appeared online in an Irish media outlet the other day. Not long after, it vanished into the ether. Yet rumours about Randolph’s future were circulating in the aftermath of the

Nations League game against Bulgaria where he became the third Irish keeper to win 50 caps. At 33, and with time on his side to embrace the 2022 World Cup and 2024 European Championships campaigns, age shouldn’t be an issue for Randolph (left). It’s understood the Bray native was one of the players taken aback by the emotive language used by manager Stephen Kenny in his lengthy pre-match address at Wembley. Was that the cause of the speculation? I checked out the status of Randolph over the weekend and was assured he was still signed up for duty, which is just as well. He has played more internationals than club games this season as Kenny did his bit to keep him ticking over while Randolph considers his options at West Ham. A loan move next month might not be a bad thing. As it stands, Randolph is set to earn his 51st cap in March when the World Cup gets under way but what if the retirement rumours were true? Or what if he were injured come March?

Kenny could find himself in a pickle of his own making after leaving Caoimhin Kelleher and Mark Travers to stew on the Wembley bench. If either Kelleher and Travers, yet to play a minute under Kenny, is thrown in for the opening World Cup qualifier in March, what then? Wembley was a missed opportunity to give his rookie keepers a run and see how they liaised with the likes of Shane Duffy, John Egan and the fullbacks. Learning on the hoof in the World Cup would be risky. While Kenny needs Randolph now more than ever, he might also check out Kieren Westwood’s availability, back in from the cold at Sheffield Wednesday under Tony Pulis.