Souness lambasts McCarthy

Graeme Souness has criticised the Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy for not substituting Damien Duff until the final minutes of Wednesday's 3-0 friendly win over Denmark.

The Blackburn Rovers manager, in the thick of a relegation battle, said: "The lad is left on almost to the bitter end – which is hardly fair on Damien or Blackburn, especially because this was only a friendly. We have two vital games in three days, so what are we left with now – the prospect of playing him for no more than an hour in either?"