Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni has asked skipper Robbie Keane to be his Francesco Totti as he begins his preparations for the Euro 2012 finals.

Marco Tardelli has refused to close the door on James McClean’s chances of forcing his way into the Republic of Ireland squad for the Euro 2012 finals.

The Irish international football camp has been rocked by a serious injury to stalwart defender Richard Dunne. Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish admits it will be a massive blow for his club to be without Dunne for eight weeks.

Wolves striker Kevin Doyle believes Mick McCarthy’s successor will have a “fighting chance” of ensuring the club guarantee Barclays Premier League survival for a third successive season. Club officials have interviewed Alan Curbishley in a London hotel with the ex-Charlton and West Ham boss favourite to replace the sacked McCarthy. Neil Warnock and Steve Bruce are also in contention.

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy insists striker Kevin Doyle “is going nowhere” before the current transfer window closes tonight. Doyle has been linked with a move to Everton and the Republic of Ireland striker is currently out of the starting XI at Molineux.

Jim Magilton has said naivety by Melbourne Victory players was the cause of their capitulation to Sydney yesterday. Former Melbourne Victory defender Sebastian Ryall scored a dramatic late equaliser against his old team as Sydney FC secured a 2-2 draw in the Australia Day clash at AAMI Park.

Two-goal Robbie Keane marked his full Aston Villa debut with a superb second-half winner against 10-man Wolves in a pulsating Barclays Premier League derby at Molineux. The on-loan Los Angeles Galaxy striker’s double helped Villa to come from behind against his old club.

Jim Magilton got off to a tentative start as Melbourne Victory coach over the weekend with a 1-1 draw against Adelaide. The 42-year-old former Northern Ireland captain was a surprise appointment for many in Australia’s football community, with one analyst questioning his managerial experience.

Robbie Keane has tipped his former club Tottenham as genuine title contenders after returning to the Barclays Premier League on loan to Aston Villa from LA Galaxy. Keane has joined Villa until the end of February and, subject to international clearance, is in contention to make his debut tomorrow against Everton.

Robbie Keane trained with Aston Villa yesterday ahead of his expected loan move from Los Angeles Galaxy. The 31-year-old Republic of Ireland striker was shown training with his future team-mates in a video on Villa’s official website.