Fears of Roy Keane's imminent departure from the Republic of Ireland squad preparing for tomorrow evening's World Cup game against the Netherlands, are greatly exaggerated in the estimation of Mick McCarthy.

With scant regard for the anxiety of earlier days, not least when the player himself said he was struggling with a back injury, McCarthy dismissed speculation that he may have to go into the game without his inspirational captain.

"I asked him how he felt after training today and he told me he was fine," he said yesterday. "He did everything that was required of him and didn't have a reaction.

"Personally, I was never given any cause for concern about his availability. He's had this niggle in his back for something like six months, but when I rang him last Sunday he assured me he'd be coming in to join the squad on Tuesday.

"That said, it will be great to have him on Saturday. He has a great influence on any team he plays with - and I guess on the opposition as well."

Significantly, Keane didn't take part in any of the shooting practice in yesterday's session, presumably on the basis that if a player is carrying an injury, this is one aspect of training which is likely to exacerbate it.

The other reassuring spectacle for McCarthy was that of Niall Quinn and Steve Carr taking an active part in the work-out after being placed on the easy list on their arrival in Dublin on Tuesday.

Pending today's team announcement, the manager is not prepared to speculate on whether Carr or Gary Kelly will get the right back position or, in the event of the vote going to the Tottenham player, whether Kelly will be shunted to the right side of midfield to the exclusion of Jason McAteer.

He was prepared to go public, however, with his selection of Richard Dunne, the unsettled Everton player, as the replacement for Kenny Cunningham in central defence.

With Phil Babb back in Portugal and the manager reluctant to replicate his ploy of using Ian Harte as a central defender in the last World Cup campaign, it was in essence, something of a Hobson's choice.

Yet in spite of his lack of match practice - he is currently serving a five-match suspension - and the fact that he has never played a competitive international game, McCarthy is ready to back the youngster "First and foremost he's a centre back with a great physical presence. And that's something which can strike apprehension into any opposing striker," he said.

"And for a lad of his size, he's pretty mobile. As a defender, he has, of course, things to learn, everybody does, but I believe that he'll still make out fine."

McCarthy did have the option of bolstering his defence by switching Roy Keane to centre back but quickly rejected it on the basis that it would be tantamount to inviting the Dutch to roll forward uninhibited.

"That's not the way I want the game to be played. I believe that going forward we have the players to occupy the Dutch and ensure that they don't get at us too often."

The new Dutch manager, Luis van Gaal, had problems of his own yesterday as he assessed his depleted squad at a training camp in Arnhem.

The latest headache for Van Gaal is a foot injury picked up by Kluivert during training yesterday. Van Gaal said he will not know until later today if the striker will be fit to play.

Missing are more than half of the team which captivated the world during the finals of Euro 2000 and one of the absentees, Jaap Stam, believes that the spate of withdrawals has put a new perspective on the game.

"It was never going to be an easy game for us - and with so many players injured, it's now even harder," he said. "Ireland may not have the technical skill of the Dutch but they'll certainly match us for work rate."

On his Manchester United clubmate, Roy Keane, he said: "Our midfield players will ignore Keane at their peril. If we allow him to play his natural game, we'll find ourselves in trouble. Roy epitomises the spirit of the Irish. He is a natural leader, a dedicated winner who plays to win with a passion. Given the choice, I would far rather play with him than against him."

Meanwhile, Robbie Keane is convinced that playing for Inter Milan will not jeopardise his availability for the Republic of Ireland in the years ahead.

Keane acknowledges that there is no clause in his contract which requires Inter Milan to clear him for friendly games. But, with untrammeled innocence, he doesn't foresee any problems in that area.

"Although there is nothing in writing, I expect to be home for all the games when I'm selected in the team," he said with the kind of conviction which might have extracted a wry smile from others who, in the past, found themselves in similar situations.

He came to court yesterday to hold a press conference with all the assurance of somebody who has been through the grind dozens of times since joining Inter.

Most of the questioning focused on the challenges presented by a new lifestyle - and, in particular, grappling with the Italian language.

"I was advised when I went to Italy that the sooner I learned the language the earlier I would settle in - and I'm certainly trying. One of the first things I did was to buy an Italian-English dictionary and a phrase book.

"The person giving my tuition says I'm doing fine but it's tough. It's like being back in school again."

Nor has adulation changed him unduly. Asked how he felt about rubbing shoulders with some big names of international football, he said simply: "To play for one of the biggest clubs in the world is like a dream come true. But just because I'm with Inter Milan doesn't make me one of the best players in the world. I'm far from that."

Keane, who rooms with Dutch star Clarence Seedorf on away trips, admits he has got some ribbing in the approach to tomorrow's game.

"It's a good time to play them with so many of their players out and a new manager in charge. I'm hopeful that we'll get the result we want."