Football: Coote steps in to solve crisis

LAWRIE McMENEMY has turned to Norwich City's reserve-team striker Adrian Coote to solve Northern Ireland's goalscoring problems.

Coote will make his senior debut in tonight's friendly against Canada at Windsor Park, Belfast, and Northern Ireland's manager hopes he can boost his side's flagging firepower - they have scored just three times in their last five games.

"The big search is for forwards and we all know we need goals," McMenemy said. "Iain Dowie is not going to go on forever and I want to see how people like Adrian Coote react to playing on the bigger stage."

Coote, 20, has made just four appearances for Norwich's first team this season. He has earned his chance because James Quinn, the West Bromwich striker, injured his knee against Wolves in Sunday's First Division fixture and has become the 11th player to pull out of McMenemy's squad.

Another definite starter is Reading's defender Barry Hunter, who has fully recovered from a knee injury and will be making his first international appearance for 24 months.

The Canadian squad contains no fewer than 11 players with British or Irish clubs, including the defenders Mark Watson of Oxford United and Richard Hastings of Inverness Caledonian Thistle, plus the Northampton Town striker Carlo Corazzin.

Manchester United's Roy Keane and Denis Irwin have pulled out of the Republic of Ireland squad to play Sweden in tomorrow's friendly in Dublin. The Republic's manager, Mick McCarthy, has called up Kevin Kilbane of West Bromwich and Fulham's Steve Finnan from his Under-21 squad, plus Stoke's Graeme Kavanagh.

Canadian and Swedish squads, Digest, page 23