Reading striker Kevin Doyle could still be available to Steve Staunton for Ireland's Euro 2008 qualifier against San Marino next month after making a better than expected recovery from a hamstring injury.
The 23-year-old has been undergoing cryotherapy treatment in temperatures of minus 110 degrees in Wexford town, not far from his family home and Reading team-mate Stephen Hunt says that the striker is still in with a chance of making the trip away.
"After he got injured he went back home for a week and underwent cryotherapy at that place back in Wexford," said the Irish midfielder yesterday. "It went well, I think, and he's hoping to be back for the Ireland game. Nothing's certain or anything like that but he's back here now, the recovery seems to be going well and he certainly hasn't given up on making it to San Marino."
Reading manager Steve Coppell encouraged Doyle to have the treatment and says that he is hopeful it will prove beneficial. "We wanted Kevin to spend time with his family and that was the main reason for his visit. But while he was there we thought we would try the procedure. It's a new therapy and we have nothing to lose. The psychological effect could be worth it, if nothing else."
Cork City, meanwhile, hope to put an end to the uncertainty surrounding Alan Bennett's future during the next 24 hours with the Irish club keen that Reading either meet their asking price for the highly rated centre back or allow him to concentrate on getting ready for the new season here.
To date, Reading have had at least two firm offers for the player rejected and there have been reports in England that the club's director of football, Nicky Hammond, has been in Cork to try to tie up a deal for the 24 year-old defender.
Cork are apparently determined to get £250,000 for the player and Coppell said yesterday that: "The situation is very difficult to read. We hope to do something before the weekend but you never know how things will turn out."
Meanwhile, interim Coventry City manager Adrian Heath says that he hopes Colin Hawkins will prove the answer to his side's defensive problems during a trial with the club this week.
"He is spending a few days with us when we will assess him and make a decision, but we have to act pretty quickly because he has got four other offers on the table," says Heath.
