Chris Hughton has said that, while it's possible Robbie Keane will be brought to Dublin by Brian Kerr ahead of next month's crucial European Championship qualifier against Russia, he feels the striker has no chance of playing in the game.

Tottenham manager Glenn Hoddle yesterday morning ruled Keane out of the Russia game, saying the 23-year-old would miss his club's next three league games as well as Ireland's two internationals in September.

"He's had scans and what we'll do is have more observations further down the line when the swelling has gone down," said Hoddle at a press conference.

"I would say he's out of our next three games and the following internationals. It's an ankle ligament strain, but at this moment we need to let it settle. We're hoping it's not going to be long-term, but at this stage it's at least two weeks."

Asked if there remained a chance Kerr would insist on bringing in Keane ahead of the game, Hughton said: "That's a decision that will be made then. The club's stance is just going on the initial findings of the tests, but from my own experience of these things I would have to say that it is almost impossible that Robbie will be fit for the Russia game.

"Obviously we'll know more as time goes on, but at the moment there's still a fair bit of swelling around the ankle and I would consider it incredibly unlikely that he is going to be fit in time - it would take one hell of a recovery."

Under Tottenham club rules any player who misses a game immediately preceding an international is automatically withdrawn from his national squad.

If, as is possible, Keane were able to start running again at the start of the week after next, he might be in a position to at least take a place on the bench for a game that will go a long way toward deciding Ireland's fate in this qualifying race.

Hughton admitted the prospect of Keane - who has scored 16 times in 45 appearance for Ireland - being involved even to that extent was "a nice thought", but added: "If the feeling at the club is that it's going to be a matter of weeks then it wouldn't even be right to be putting the thought that he might be fit into Robbie's head, because he's not. Looking at the diagnosis, there's no way it's going to happen."

The general feeling at Spurs appears to be one of relief that the problem isn't far worse, but Hoddle, who is already under considerable pressure at the club, will be dismayed that such a vital player will miss out on even three premier league games as a result of an injury picked up in an international friendly.

The news, though, will also come as a considerable blow to Kerr, for whom Keane is clearly a key figure. Keane scored in both of June's home games and is a certain starter for the team when fit.

Kerr has played both Gary Doherty and David Connolly alongside the Dubliner in competitive matches, but it is questionable whether he would start the pair together in the absence of the team's most consistent goalscorer.

Clinton Morrison has also performed strongly for the team and has scored on both of his outings this year, but a shoulder injury has sidelined him for most of the last six months and it is far from certain that he will have played a single competitive match between now and the visit of the Russians.

In the circumstances, Kerr seems likely to opt to return Damien Duff to the Irish attack, the 24-year-old Chelsea winger having become a much more prolific finisher during the past couple of years.

Gerry Smyth, meanwhile, has included Stephen Elliott of Manchester City, who scored a hat-trick in the Republic of Ireland's 5-1 under-21 victory over Poland earlier this week, in his squad of 18 players for the under-20 friendly against the Czech Republic at Dalymount Park on Wednesday, September 3rd (kick-off 7.30 p.m.).

The game is the latest stage in the squad's preparations for the Youth World Cup, which takes place in the UAE at the end of the year.

Smyth has named four Eircom League players: Longford Town's Stephen Paisley and Seán Dillon, Keith Fahey from St Patrick's Athletic and Eamonn Zayed, the Bray Wanderers striker.

Missing from the squad are Sunderland's Seán Thornton, Scarborough's Stephen Capper, Stockport's Jonathon Daly and Tottenham's Stephen Kelly, all of whom will be involved with the under-21 squad for the Russia game.

UNDER-20 SQUAD (v Czech Republic, September 3rd): Brian Murphy (Swansea City), Wayne Henderson (Aston Villa), Stephen Brennan (Newcastle Utd), Ian Simpemba (Wycombe Wanderers), Stephen Paisley (Longford Town), Seán Dillon (Longford Town), Glenn Whelan (Manchester City), John Fitzgerald (Blackburn Rovers), Conor Gethins (Ross County), Willo Flood (Manchester City), Graham Ward (Kidderminster Harriers), Darren Potter (Liverpool), Michael Foley (Liverpool), Keith Fahey (St Patrick's Ath), Adrian Deane (Charlton Ath), Jonathon Walters (Bolton), Stephen Elliott (Manchester City), Eamonn Zayed (Bray Wanderers).