BBC SPORT | Football | Internationals | Republic of Ireland

Russia v Republic of Ireland | European Championship Group 10 qualifier | Moscow | Saturday, 7 September kick-off 1600 BST | Live on BBC Sport Online

Mick McCarthy believes Roy Keane will haunt him until he is old and grey.

Republic of Ireland manager McCarthy guaranteed his place in football history when he sent home his captain Keane from the World Cup finals in the summer.

It is a saga which has since dominated Irish football and one which McCarthy feels will never go away.

The Ireland team arrived in Moscow on Thursday night ahead of their first Euro 2004 qualifier against Russia on Saturday.

McCarthy's first press conference in Moscow was dominated by talk of the Manchester United skipper.

It probably will still be going on when I have lost my teeth and my eyesight

Mick McCarthy

When asked if Keane's ongoing absence put extra pressure on McCarthy, he said:

"Of course it does, and that is going to be there all the time.

"The more people give it legs, the more it is going to run and run - it is an unfortunate fact of life.

"I don't know when it is going to end.

"It probably will still be going on when I have lost my teeth and my eyesight and all my hair has gone.

"I'll be sitting drinking my pint and someone will say: 'There's that bloke who sent Roy Keane home from the World Cup'.

Kenny Cunningham takes the captaincy from the retired Steve Staunton
Kenny Cunningham: Ireland's skipper

"I am on record as saying that when Roy played for us in the World Cup qualifying campaign we were a better team, and we all wanted him to play.

"But it is an unfortunate fact of life that it is not going to happen," said McCarthy.

The Irish boss added that it was a "sad situation" that one of the world's best players is not playing for his country.

"But that is not my doing and I cannot do anything about it.

"If it adds a bit more pressure then bring it on.

"I have lived with that pressure in the past before and it is not going to affect me any more - I shall keep trying to smile".

With Irish officials assured by their hosts that the game would go ahead despite fears over smog in Moscow, the squad trained at the Dynamo Stadium on Thursday evening.

The match will take place at the Lokomotiv Stadium in the eastern side of the city.

I'll bet the Russian coach considers this a tough game

Mick McCarthy

McCarthy reported a clean bill of health among his squad, with everyone taking part in training.

Although Ireland are top seeds in Group 10, this promises to be their toughest match in the group.

"I was sitting having a coffee with someone and they said: `This is a tough game for you'," said McCarthy.

"But I bet the Russian coach has been sitting somewhere considering the fact that Ireland is a tough game for him".

McCarthy's team virtually picks itself, with two players battling over the right-hand side of midfield.

If McCarthy chooses a more attacking line-up he is likely to opt for Jason McAteer but if he plays it a bit safer, then Gary Kelly could get the nod.

Probable team: Given, Finnan, Cunningham, Breen, Harte, McAteer, Kinsella, Holland, Kilbane, Duff, Keane.

WC = World Cup
WCQ = World Cup
EC = European Championship
ECQ = European Championship
F = Friendly International

HEAD TO HEAD MATCH TOTALS

All Russia Ireld Drawn
Total meetings 11 5 4 2
World Cup Quals 4 2 2 0
Euro Ch'ships 1 0 0 1
Euro Ch Quals 2 1 1 0
Friendlies 4 2 1 1

FIXTURE HISTORY

DATE COMP MATCH RESULT
18 Oct 1972 WC Q Rep of I 1-2 Soviet Un
13 May 1973 WC Q Soviet Un 1-0 Rep of I
30 Oct 1972 EC Q Rep of I 3-0 Soviet Un
18 May 1975 EC Q Soviet Un 2-1 Rep of I
12 Sep 1984 WC Q Rep of I 1-0 Soviet Un
16 Oct 1985 WC Q Soviet Un 2-0 Rep of I
15 Jun 1988 EC Soviet Un 1-1 Rep of I
25 Apr 1990 F Rep of I 1-0 Soviet Un
23 Mar 1994 F Rep of I 0-0 Russia
27 Mar 1996 F Rep of I 0-2 Russia
13 Feb 2002 F Rep of I 2-0 Russia

MOST RECENT MEETING

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND 2-0 RUSSIA
Friendly - 13 February, 2002 - Lansdowne Road, Dublin
Rep Ireland scorers: Reid 3, Robbie Keane 20
Rep Ireland team: Given (Kiely 46), Finnan (McAteer 72) (Quinn 90), Harte (Staunton 72), Roy Keane (Holland 86), O'Brien (Dunne 46), Cunningham (Breen 46), Reid (Kelly G 46), Healy (Carsley 46), Robbie Keane (Sadlier 72), Duff (Morrison 46), Kilbane (Kennedy 46).
Russia team: Nigmatullin, Khlestov (Daev 90), Kovtun, Khokhlov (Izmailov 53), Nikiforov (Chugainov 66), Onopko, Karpin,. Mostovoi, Alenichev (Semak 72), Bestchastnykh, Titov.
Referee: Dermot Gallagher - Att: 44,000