Mary Hanniganhears the Manchester City captain's concerns for team-mate Stephen Ireland.

Next week is the seventh anniversary of his arrival at Manchester City from Everton, and never have times been so good for Richard Dunne at the club he now captains, the team currently third in the Premier League. Sven-Goran Eriksson, his manager, has been lauding him all season, putting him "in the very top bracket" of central defenders playing in England. "It would be nice to see what would happen if he was English, although perhaps you should not say that to an Irishman," said the Swede.

Lots of good things, then, to talk about with Dunne as he prepares for Saturday's game against Germany, but inevitably the conversation is dominated by the latest episode in the life of his club and international team-mate, Stephen Ireland.

Not that Dunne objects, although even he seems puzzled about it all, not least by the rumour mill that has suggested Ireland was worried about what reaction he would receive from his team-mates after the nature of his exit from the camp in Bratislava.

"I don't think the players are that way inclined, if his girlfriend had a miscarriage the last time, well, there's nobody who's going to be taking the mickey out of something that serious. We all want to be part of a team that's successful and we know Stephen's a very good player who could make the team better. If and when he does come back he'll be welcomed," he said.

"As far as I know Stephen has a couple of problems in his life and he feels having 10 days away from home isn't the right thing at the moment. It's disappointing for us because he's the one who's been scoring our goals lately and he's a very, very important player. Hopefully if it is just this trip that he misses and he gets himself sorted out then it'll be worth it in the long term.

"I've tried to help him. Everyone tries to help him, everyone tries to chat along with him, but from what I see he seems to be happy enough. But at the moment he doesn't feel it's right that he comes over and plays for Ireland, so . . . I don't know.

"He's 21 now, that's his decision, he made a similar decision, I think, when he was younger (when he fell out with Brian Kerr at youth level), so I don't know whether he can change his mind.

"I did think now was the right time to come back, I mean this will just drag on again to next month and if he doesn't come then it will go on beyond that. If he came this time and faced everything, just spoke to people, it would be out in the open - and the whole situation would be forgotten about, he wouldn't feel so uncomfortable then. So my advice to him would be to get back as quickly as he can.

"While he's not here people will always speak about him, what ifs and why nots, why isn't he here, and this and that.

"He can definitely come back, but I don't know whether he will this season. He's having chats with our manager (Eriksson) all the time, and Stan (Steve Staunton) came over to see him. If things are difficult in Stephen's life it's very hard for anyone else to tell him what to do. Maybe he just needs time out to fix it.

"As a club Man City want him to play for Ireland because we haven't got European football so this is the best place for Stephen to gain that sort of experience. Hopefully something will just click in him and he'll want to come back."

On a happier note, something has clearly clicked at City since Eriksson's arrival, a man so ridiculed in the English press in the final phase of his time in charge of the national team.

"But I think people make out that the England team is better than what it actually is, I don't think it's often down to the manager - and this manager has proven his record over the years at club level, and even at international level. He did a fine job, they just got beaten on penalties in two competitions.

"When we knew he was coming in everyone around the club was excited, we were optimistic about what the future held. It's just the English press, it's always looking for a scapegoat, they wanted to believe that team was probably better than it is. But he's great. He's the first European manager I've ever worked under, it's something new, it's enjoyable, everything is a little bit more relaxed and laid back, he wants us to have a smile, enjoy our training and enjoy our games.

"He involves me in a lot of things. I suppose I've been at the club longer than anyone now, through the bad times too, so he thinks I may have an idea of why things weren't so good and what we can improve on around the club, in terms of facilities and stuff like that. It's nice that he sees me in that way, and keeps me involved."

If life at club level is sweet these days, it's been somewhat sourer on the international front during this qualifying campaign, Dunne's form, on the whole, one of the few bright spots.

He insists, though, that's no shortage of motivation for the games against Germany and Cyprus, even if Euro 2008 is all but a pipe dream. "Everyone wants to play against Germany, one of the biggest footballing nations, and we've all got our reasons for wanting to play against Cyprus - it's a big week for us, and that's enough motivation for us all."

How would you describe, in terms of your international career, that night in Nicosia? (A 5-2 defeat and a red card for Dunne).

Pause. "Shite." Laughter. And Dunne's covering his face with his hands. He'll be happy, you sense, when this campaign is over.