INTERNATIONAL NEWS:LIAM LAWRENCE is hoping to embark on life back in the Championship this morning when he reports for training at Portsmouth, although he admits to being a little unsure of what to expect after reports that there had been a hitch with his transfer deadline day move from Stoke City.

“I was sat in the office for nearly four hours and the papers went through before 6pm so I don’t know what they are disputing,” he said in relation to the formalities of a move that, having consulted with Giovanni Trapattoni, he agreed to in the hope of securing first-team football and, in turn, retaining his place in the Italian’s Ireland team.

“I am not too sure what happened,” he said after being alerted to the fact that there were reports of a problem with the move by Ireland skipper Robbie Keane. “I had a chat with the manager and my agent and they are disputing the times the papers went through. I believe it is classed as a loan move, but it’s still all the same. Anyway, I’ll let them sort it out.”

Lawrence admits to being less than thrilled by the prospect of dropping out of the top flight and just a little concerned by the problems at Portsmouth over the last couple of years. He has been lured by the prospect of regular first-team football after a frustrating spell at the Britannia Stadium which seemed to start around the time he first began to establish himself in the Ireland set-up.

“It was very weird all right,” he said. “I was a regular at Stoke and couldn’t get in the Ireland team and then a regular for Ireland and can’t get in the Stoke team. I was flying after the Paris game but when I came back it was just weird. I didn’t really play for four or five weeks. It was very strange but that’s football.

“I’ve just got to get on with it, and take it on the chin. I could have maybe waited and got a loan somewhere else but I listened to the manager and the chief executive at Portsmouth and they told me things are going to turn round; they assured me about what’s going to happen. They showed me the plan and the picture, and I’ve just got to trust them now and see what happens. Trust me, though, it wasn’t an easy decision.

“It’s a new challenge but I’ve been there (England’s second tier) before and done well. I just want to play regular football. I’ve got to if I want to come and perform here. When you come and you’ve not played for three or four weeks, like I did before the Armenia game, it’s really hard work. I need to play, to get my fitness and sharpness.”

As for the Irish team’s prospects after the wins over Armenia and Andorra, Lawrence is cautiously optimistic. “It was a fantastic result again. It gives us six points. We’re looking forward to the Russia game now, which is really important. If we get a good result, touch wood, it’s going to be all wide open and we’d have a fantastic chance but we’ve just got to wait for that game and see what happens.”