INTERNATIONAL NEWS:AHEAD OF the deadline set for today by Fifa for an alternative venue to be named for Saturday week's World Cup qualifier against the Republic of Ireland, the Georgian Football Federation (GFF) are considering nominating Krakow (Poland), Karlsruhe (Germany) and/or Graz (Switzerland).

They do, however, remain hopeful that the game will go ahead in Tbilisi as originally planned.

Initially Fifa, in light of fears the conflict between Russia and Georgia would broaden, ruled the qualifier be moved from Tbilisi to a neutral venue but later softened their position, stating any venue nominated by the GFF would be used only if it were concluded there was no option but to switch the game.

The FAI, after discussions with the Department of Foreign Affairs, had formally requested the game be moved from Tbilisi because of concerns for the safety of players and supporters.

Yesterday, however, a spokesman for the GFF, Alexander Tsonbiladze, insisted that while the Federation had come up with a shortlist of venues they were optimistic the game could be played in the Georgian capital.

"Our main priority is that the game goes ahead in Tbilisi," he said, "and we are confident that it will go ahead if we get a guarantee from our government that the safety of supporters and the Irish delegation will be 100 per cent - and I think it will. If this does not happen then we will decide (by this morning) whether to propose one or all three venues to Fifa."

Giovanni Trapattoni will not announce his squad for the game until next week, with Damien Duff's fitness a concern after he limped out of Newcastle's win over Bolton a minute before half-time with a knee injury following a challenge on former Republic of Ireland team-mate Andy O'Brien.

Duff is a doubt for Newcastle's League Cup trip to Coventry City tonight but manager Kevin Keegan has not ruled him out.

"He was very brave to go in there, or stupid, whichever way you want to put it," he said, "I wouldn't have gone in for that. I think he's going to struggle for the Coventry game, but you never know with Duffer. He's a very quick healer, and I know he'll want to play. He's very fit and energetic at the moment, so he'll have a slight chance."

Blackburn is the latest club rumoured to be interested in signing Liverpool's Steve Finnan, who came out of international retirement last week to play for Ireland in the friendly against Norway.