Given may leave City in January

Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given has revealed that he may look to leave Manchester City in the January transfer window.

The 34-year old has featured only twice for City this season, with City manager Roberto Mancini overlooking Given in favour of England international goalkeeper Joe Hart.

It has been a long time since Given, long regarded as one of the best netminders in the Premier League, has had to spend time on the bench and ahead of Ireland’s friendly with Norway on Wednesday evening, he admitted that it is something he will look to sort out sooner rather than later.

“My own personal situation isn’t ideal as everyone knows and I have spoken about it in the past, so we will see what happens over the next couple of months in that respect,” he said.

“I want to be playing football and I have always said that, so hopefully something will happen in the new year.

“It’s frustrating and I have already said I’m not coping very well, to be honest.

“But I can’t change the situation at the moment and I have got to just keep my head down and see what happens over the next couple of months, I suppose.

“I’m delighted to be playing tomorrow. You just want to play football and if you are not playing, then it’s extremely frustrating.”

With Hart excelling for Roberto Mancini’s side, Given has been limited to just two appearances for the Citizens and he revealed that a lack of action is having an adverse effect on his game.

“It’s very difficult to be honest. You try to work hard in training, but it’s difficult to re-enact a match situation.

“Obviously, it’s not an ideal situation I’m in and I wish I was playing more because I would feel sharper, but this is the position I’m in and I can’t really change that.

“I played in Europe a couple of weeks ago with Manchester City and I have got the game tomorrow.

“I’m getting the odd game, but it’s not ideal because you want to play every week.

“It’s not an ideal situation, so to sit here and say I feel as sharp as I did when I was playing all the time, I would be lying.

“I don’t feel as sharp as I possibly could be, but if I get back in the team and get a run of games, then I’m sure I will be back up to speed.”

In the absence of Kevin Kilbane, Given will become Ireland’s most capped player tomorrow evening with 109 caps, but insists that he’s not ready to hang up his gloves just yet.

“I’m having a good rest at the minute, so maybe I can add that on to the end!” he said.

“Look at Edwin van der Sar, he’s turned 40 there and he is still at the top of his game, and I don’t see why he can’t play next season as well, Edwin, because he’s playing so well.

“There’s definitely an argument that goalkeepers go on longer. We have normally got longer careers than the outfield players.”

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