Keith Gillespie was officially unveiled by Glentoran on Tuesday

Nigel Worthington has signalled that Keith Gillespie's Northern Ireland career is over.

Gillespie completed a shock move to Irish League champions Glentoran last week and said that his international ambitions remained alive.

However, Worthington appears to have dashed Gillespie's hopes of adding to his 86 international caps.

"Keith has had his time. He won't be coming into my thoughts," Worthington told the Sunday Life.

"It's a case of thank you very much for all you have done but we must keep looking to the future.

"Keith has had his fling and a very good fling but dropping out of the top end of things is not the ideal scenario.

"I thought there would have been opportunities for him as a full-timer in England.

"It would only be in exceptional circumstances that Keith would be considered again."

Gillespie said last week that he wanted to impress for Glentoran and give Worthington "no option" but to recall the veteran winger.

"Nigel has been picking Irish League players lately," added Gillespie.

"I'm hoping (to get a recall) but it's out of my hands.

"If I'm out there and performing to a good standard as well as I can, hopefully I might not give him (Nigel Worthington) a chance but to pick me but that's up to him.

"First and foremost, I want to do well for Glentoran. If international honours come my way, then so be it."

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version