Dilemma for the Irish

Republic of Ireland manager Brian Kerr is weighing up who to play in attack as his side arrived in Dublin to begin preparations for Saturday's Euro 2004 qualification showdown with Russia at Lansdowne Road.

With Tottenham striker Robbie Keane definitely ruled out, Kerr said: "If Robbie had been here, we'd have had to decide who would partner him, but he's not so we'll have to look at the whole forward line. We've really got Clinton (Morrison), Alan (Lee), Gary (Doherty), David (Connolly) and Damien (Duff) who can play up front it's a decision we're going to have to make.

"There are other areas like that as well where we have lots of options that we need to look at.

"The defence has done very well for me but we have lots of options. Richard Dunne did very well against Norway and was man-ofthematch against Greece when Don (Givens) was in charge. Andy O'Brien is playing solidly at club level and Ian Harte came on against Australia and did very well."

But Kerr knows that he has more than his forward line to sort out. "We've also got to look at the midfield and we'll make up our minds during the training sessions," he said.

The squad trained once today but several players were missing through injury.

Connolly (hamstring), Colin Healy (calf), Kenny Cunningham (thigh) and Gary Breen (neck) all sat the session out.

Mark Kinsella arrived late having played a reserve game for Aston Villa against Newcastle United on Monday evening.

Lee Carsley, who tests his knee ligament injury in a reserve game tonight and O'Brien will join the squad tomorrow morning.