Packie Bonner believes Keiren Westwood will not travel to the European Championships due to issues with the Republic of Ireland management, with Shay Given to get the nod due to his experience.
Westwood has impressed this season as Sheffield Wednesday progressed to the Championship play-off final against Hull this Saturday, while he was also selected on the PFA Championship Team of the Year.
And despite being named in the 35-man squad for the friendlies against the Netherlands and Belarus, Westwood remains down the pecking order to play, with Bonner indicating his “mentality” was a problem.
Manager Martin O’Neill can only bring three ‘keepers to Euro 2016, with Darren Randolph, David Forde, Given and Westwood vying for those places.
"I think there were probably a few issues with Keiren, maybe around his mentality and different things at times"
And Bonner believes Given will get the nod at Westwood’s expense – providing he can prove his fitness.
The former Celtic and Ireland stopper told RTÉ Sport's football podcast The Panel: “That’s going to be the big question, whether Shay’s 100% fit.
“I’m sure he’s absolutely desperate to go. You know, the last European Championships wasn’t the way that he would have liked it to be finished up at. So he’s desperate to go, at 40 years old – quite incredible!
“I suppose the advantage for having somebody like Shay around is that he’s experienced, he’s been through it all before.
“Whether he will go and play or not in the Euros, I don’t know... but even having him around will be an asset for some of the younger guys. Darren (Randolph) must be favourite to start.”
Bonner continued: “Keiren Westwood is on the fringe, whether he’ll make it instead of Shay, and they’re the big questions for Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane... Especially Martin, he’s the boss, he’s the one in charge and the one that will make the final decisions.”
Regarding Given, Bonner believes his experience will ensure his place on the squad, adding: “If Shay’s fit I think he’ll take him. So I think it’ll be Shay, Darren Randolph and David Forde.
“Forde has done exceptionally well for Ireland for a player, who let’s face it didn’t early on in his career play at a very highest level. But to go away and do well in England and do well for us, never let the side down, so I think he’ll go.”
When asked if there was an issue between Westwood and the Ireland management, Bonner was frank in his answer.
The Donegal man said: “If you were true to yourself on that one, I think there were probably a few issues with Keiren, maybe around his mentality and different things at times.
“Maybe with age and experience he’ll look back at it and say maybe he has to change that. So there’s a bit of development there from that point of view from Keiren and maybe that might hold him back a little bit.
“I just feel that we’re not blessed with having 20 goalkeepers to pick from. Robbie Elliot I think would definitely go if fit.
“So in one way we’re probably saying Randolph and Elliot is our future. We’d probably need one more and Westwood has to fight the two of them to be in there having a chance.
“I think for this tournament though he’ll go with the experience of Shay just to be around.
“I could be totally wrong, but I think if he was making a decision around who was number one and Westwood was pushing for number one spot I think then yes definitely, but he’s down the pecking order as far as that’s concerned.”
Packie Bonner will be speaking at the Smock Alley Theatre on 26 May at 8pm (tickets €12/€10) to discuss the paperback release of his autobiography The Last Line which was shortlisted for the Bord Gáis Energy Sports Book of the Year.
