Shay Given determined to win back place at Manchester City
Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given today spoke of his determination to win back his place in the first-team.
Despite Given saying before the start of the season that he would be forced to look for another club if he was not given the nod to start in goal, City boss Roberto Mancini has opted for England international Joe Hart as his first choice between the sticks.
However, Given was told by chiefs at the English Premier League outfit that he would not be allowed to move on to another club and the Republic of Ireland goalkeeper told reporters that: "I had no real choice [to move]. They said I wasn’t going so I’ve got to get my head down and work hard and, if nothing else, be fit for the internationals next month. It’s disappointing but there’s nothing you can do about it.”
Pleased with Ireland's results
Meanwhile, Given added that he was pleased with Ireland’s return of six points from their first two UEFA 2012 European Football Championship qualifying campaign after wins over Andorra and Armenia. He said that: “Before last Friday, if you’d said six points then that was the aim of the two games and we’ve done that now. The next ones are going to be trickier with the two best teams in the group. Six points is a good start."
Ireland beat Andorra 3-1, but Given was disappointed to have lost a goal following some slack defending which afforded Christian Martinez space to shoot. He said that: "It was a pretty decent strike. He probably couldn’t have hit it any better. It’s disappointing. I don’t want to concede. We thought maybe we might have got a free-kick off Richard [Dunne] but the ref never gave it and he’s come onto it pretty good and stuck it away."
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