From today's Indo: http://www.unison.ie/sportsdesk/stor...=12&si=1552243
For the past 10 years Shay Given has virtually owned the Irish goalkeeping jersey.
As long as he stays injury free, the Newcastle united 'keeper should break Steve Staunton's record of 102 appearances by 2010.
The exploits over the past 20 years of Packie Bonner and Given have inspired a generation of wannabes like Wayne Henderson, Saul Deeney, Barry Roche, Colin Doyle and Ed Randolph, but the 'keeper making a lot of people sit up and take notice is 18-year-old Dubliner Shane Supple.
There is a delightful story told of the day Given signed for Blackburn Rovers. Once he had put pen to paper he was whisked away to play in a youth match and, obviously nervous, he made a major boob that led to a goal.
It prompted one Blackburn coach to suggest to his father Seamus that it was just as well Shay had signed before the game whereupon the senior member of the Given family replied that his son would be a senior international before his 20th birthday.
Given eventually made his Ireland debut 24 days before he turned 20, much to the delight of his father whose reputation as a footballing soothsayer was firmly established by that presumptuous prediction.
Talent
With new manager Staunton set on blooding young talent, there's every chance Supple might follow in the footsteps of his idol and win a senior cap before he is 20, especially as he is now first choice 'keeper at Ipswich Town.
"Growing up, Peter Schmeichel was my hero but now it is Shay Given because he is so like me. We are of a similar build and are both just over 6ft. He is a great shot-stopper and very consistent," says Supple.
From Blanchardstown, where he lined out for the local St Brigid's GAA Club as well as Verona and later Home Farm, Supple was a member of the excellent Ipswich side which won the English FA Youth Cup last season.
The former St Declan's CBS student has been at Portman Road since he was 15, after being spotted by Ipswich scouts Larry Fox and Joe Martin, and Supple's performances in the Youth Cup run suggested he was definitely proceeding in the right direction. However, what's happened since has definitely caught him by surprise.
"I came back in the summer not knowing I was going to be fighting for the No 1 jersey. Kelvin Davis had gone to Sunderland but I expected them to bring in somebody else.
"They didn't. I got a couple of games early on in pre-season but then Lewis Price got injured at Christmas and I got in. The team have played really well since then and the gaffer (Joe Royle) has been terrific in sticking with me."
Going from the youth team to the Championship would seem a daunting step but Supple has taken it all in his stride.
"It's not such a huge step up. I thought it would be when I made my debut, but the only difference is that it is a bit more physical. You are coming up against big lads who are stronger, so I have taken a few knocks.
"But I don't mind the physical stuff because I played Gaelic football with St Brigid's and I have no problem coming to collect a cross."
Debut
His debut came on New Year's Eve against Luton when Ipswich won 1-0 and Supple was more than pleased with his performance.
"It was nice to keep a clean sheet and make one or two good saves."
Every year young Irish footballers face the choice between big clubs and small clubs like Ipswich and Supple turned down Aston Villa, where his hero Schmeichel was on the playing staff, to head for East Anglia. "I liked the feel of the place. It's a family club and everybody that comes here sees that. There are a lot of young players here so it's a bit homely."
Putting pressure on Given for his international place is a long term objective for Supple but he knows he has some way to go before he finds himself reporting in to the Irish team's headquarters in Portmarnock.
"I want to try and break into the U21s first, while at club level I want to hold down my place in the first team and establish myself as a first team player. Hopefully I can also get into the Premiership with Ipswich."
Twelve years ago Shay Given arrived at Sunderland from Blackburn and produced 16 clean sheets in the final 18 games to deliver promotion. So, who knows what might happen Ipswich this season if Supple can continue to keep them out at his end.
