Andy Reid is probably as tired of the questions as Giovanni Trapattoni is by now, but when asked at the weekend of how he felt after being overlooked again by the Republic of Ireland manager, he insisted he'd keep plugging away at club level but admitted it would be "brilliant" to get a recall.
Reid scored a sublime free-kick on Saturday to spark a Sunderland fightback after West Ham took a 2-0 lead at the Stadium of Light.
It was his latest contribution to Sunderland’s impressive season thus far, but came 24 hours after Trapattoni decided he had no room for Reid in a 25-man squad to be assembled ahead of the upcoming World Cup play-offs against France.
Reid insists, however, that having got himself fitter than ever before, and having scored two and assisted four of Sunderland’s 20 goals this season, he cannot do much more to convince Trapattoni he’s worth a punt.
“It would be pointless letting the Ireland thing affect me and my performances,” said the 27-year-old. "It wouldn't do me any favours in the long run.
“I don't pick the squad; I go out on the pitch and perform at the level I am. I can't do any more than I am.
"I just have to prove to my manager here that I deserve to be in the Sunderland team.
“As long as I am in the team and do my job then I'm happy with that.
“I can't control anything else outside of that. I can only do the best that I can and give everything I have in every game.
“I can't do anything different and I'm not going to do anything different.”
That said, the Dubliner is far from apathetic, and added: "I'm feeling good, I'm feeling confident and I feel fit. I'm playing some of the best football of my career.
"I'm going to continue what I'm doing and if I get the call to play for Ireland again, then brilliant. I've said all along that I would love to play for Ireland again.
"If I don't get the call then I have to continue playing well here.
"The club pays my wages, I'm a Sunderland player and I have to get on with performing."
Reid has not featured at all in this campaign for Trapattoni. He was part of one squad when Ireland travelled to Mainz, Germany, where they beat Georgia 2-1, before securing a point with a 0-0 draw against Montenegro in Podgorica four days later.
Damien Duff, meanwhile, is expected to be fit to face France at Croke Park on November 14th, despite his non-appearance for the second half of Fulham's win over Liverpool on Saturday.
“It is very hard stopping Damien playing for the Republic of Ireland. You have to lock him in a cage,” said Fulham manager Roy Hodgson at the weekend.
“It’s an injury he has been struggling with for a while. It stems from his Achilles, although it’s a little bit more complicated than that. There is no way I would even consider him for Roma. I will ask the medical staff to take as long as they need to try to get him back into shape as quickly as they can.”
Ireland captain Robbie Keane was also substituted on Saturday, 65 minutes into Tottenham's 3-0 defeat at Arsenal, but while he had shown some discomfort after a heavy challenge, his withdrawal appeared to be a tactical move on his manager Harry Redknapp’s part.
