Keeper Coyne admits to international guilt trips

Oct 31 2007 by Chris Beesley, Liverpool Daily Post

TRANMERE goalkeeper Danny Coyne has admitted that he is still getting used to the concept of missing club matches due to international duty.

Although the Prestatyn-born 34-year-old is a proud Welshman he has revealed that he did feel a few mixed emotions earlier this month when his Rovers comeback following a four-week injury lay-off was delayed for a game due to European Championship qualification commitments.

After being sidelined with a calf problem, Coyne was unable to return for his club for their League One clash with Walsall on Friday,October 12 as he was preparing to face Cyprus with John Toshack’s squad the following day.

Goalkeeping coach John Achterberg had to continue deputising in Coyne’s absence and the summer recruit from Burnley admitted that it is far from an ideal situation.

He said: “It’s not nice missing Tranmere games while you are on international duty. Tranmere are never far from my mind when I’m away.

“I’m always wondering how the lads are doing. It’s a strange feeling because while I was in the Championship and the Premier League all of the games were called off during international weeks. That doesn’t happen in League One.

“I guess it is something that comes with the territory. I am contracted to Tranmere and they pay my wages.”

Coyne revealed that he would have liked to have returned to club football first following his injury, but with young rivals like Wolves’ Wayne Hennessey and Lewis Price of Derby breathing down his neck in the national side, it was a major plus for the veteran to add to his tally of Wales caps which now stands at 17.

He said: “When I came back a couple of weeks ago I wanted to play for Rovers straight away but the circumstances dictated that I had to go with Wales first.

“It was one of those unfortunate clashes – although it’s always nice when your country is asking you to play for them. But for me the most important thing is to be playing regular first-team football again with Tranmere.

“I needed to get a run of games behind me get my form back up and build some consistency.

“That little injury setback was frustrating but happily it didn’t keep me out for too long.”

A welcome clean sheet in a 3-0 win against Huddersfield on Friday helped Rovers to briefly return to the summit and while they were back down to third by the end of Saturday’s games, Coyne believes they are still in a good position ahead of next weekend’s clash with a highly-fancied Nottingham Forest side who are just three points below them.

He said: “We’ve been near the top of the table all season long and that builds confidence. We do believe we are capable of beating anyone in this division.

“It is very tight and one win can take you from sixth place to the top of the division.

“The secret is to be consistent and that’s what were are trying to do.

“Forest next week will be a big challenge.

“They have a number of internationals in their side and plenty of strength in depth.

“You can see why the bookmakers made them favourites at the start of the season.”