| Lions Den swells pride of loan keeper BY PHIL CAMPION
 COLIN Doyle has a
big six months ahead of him.
Birmingham City’s Irish Under 21 international goalkeeper is currently
on loan at Millwall, where he is battling to help the Lions avoid relegation
from the Coca-Cola Champ-
ionship, before a decision will be made on a potential return to the Premiership
side.
Doyle will also be hoping to catch the eye of new Republic of Ireland
manager Steve Staunton ahead of this autumn’s opening exchanges
in the qualifying campaign for Euro 2008.
Although scheduled to remain at Millwall, Birmingham City manager Steve
Bruce has said he is keen to keep Doyle and his Ireland under-21 team
mate Marcos Painter at St. Andrew’s.
The Corkman, who is out of contract in June said: “I’m delighted
to be here (Millwall) until May and we’ll have to see what happens
after that. Who knows — I could come back.
“At the moment I am still a Birmingham player and I’m very
grateful to Steve for letting me stay down here — it is what I wanted
because I am loving playing first team football.”
Millwall are hoping to retain his services on a permanent basis and Doyle
admitted how much he has enjoyed lining out for the Lions.
“As soon as I came for the first month I knew I wanted to stay until
season’s end,” said Doyle. “If things don’t work
out at St. Andrew’s I would be thrilled to come here.
“It would not be a problem to move down here with my family —
I moved from Ireland to Birmingham when I was only 16 so it would not
be too tough to do so again. The lads here have been so welcoming, they
have made it easy. But now I’m concentrating on helping get us out
of the trouble we’re in at the moment.”
Originally offered to Aston Villa when he was playing with Cork team Douglas
Hall AFC as a youth, it was one of Villa’s coaching staff who tipped
off the Blues about a promising goalkeeper from the Rebel County.
Doyle is from a big family — literally. All of his brothers are
over six feet tall and one played basketball for Ireland at college level.
Ireland Under-21 coach Don Givens said has also praised the 20-year-old.
Givens said: “He’s a good goalkeeper and is very commanding
in the box.”
Birmingham can recall him any time this season and did so just before
Christmas as cover. But Doyle is getting valuable experience playing regularly
in front of big crowds at the New Den.
Millwall director of football Colin Lee is also a great admirer of his
young goalkeeper’s ability. He said: “Colin has done fantastically
well for us.
“Birmingham also rate him highly and at some stage he will have
to decide whether he wants to be part of a Premiership club — but
he is not at that juncture yet
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