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Given: retired after Euro 2012. INPHO/Donall Farmer
Don't call it a comeback

Shay Given leaves the door open for international return under O'Neill and Keane

Former Ireland keeper can’t dislodge Brad Guzan as Aston Villa’s number one.

SHAY GIVEN IS ready to sit down and talk about an international return if new managers Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane want him.

But the former number one admits that he needs to be playing club football to stand any chance of a comeback.

Given won 125 caps for Ireland, second only to Robbie Keane in the all-time list, but retired after the disappointment of Euro 2012.

Since then he has made just nine appearances for Aston Villa, where he is Paul Lambert’s clear second choice behind Brad Guzan, and has been told he can leave if a suitable bid comes in in January.

“For me at the moment, I’m not even playing club football so to be thinking about international football is a million miles away,” he told Newstalk’s Off the Ball last night.

“I’m desperate to be playing any kind of football at the minute. I’d love to get back playing club football.

If Martin or Roy wanted me in the future, I would have a conversation and see where that took me.

But at the minute, I’m in no position to even say that I would like to play. David Forde is the one in command at the minute and he’s playing ever so well.

Listen to last night’s Football Show in full here >

David Forde ‘not worried’ by fight for No 1 with O’Neill old boy Westwood

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