Manchester United captain Roy Keane has not been included in the first Ireland squad picked by new manager Brian Kerr for a friendly against Scotland on February 12.

The Irish Football Association (FAI) said on Friday that Kerr -appointed earlier this week to replace Mick McCarthy -- had stood by established names for his debut match. All 26 were members of McCarthy's squads for games against Finland, Russia and Switzerland last year. Tottenham Hotspur striker Robbie Keane is picked despite limping out of his club's

premiership defeat by Newcastle United on Wednesday.

Blackburn Rovers' Damien Duff and Southampton's Rory Delap are also named even though both are recovering from injury.

Earlier this week Kerr refused to be drawn on whether Roy Keane would ever don a green shirt again, although he hinted he would welcome the midfielder back from international exile.

"I want Ireland to have the best team possible out on the pitch. We have a limited pool to pick from," Kerr said.

The 31-year-old "Keano" -Ireland's only world-class player -was sent home on the eve of last year's World Cup finals in disgrace after a blazing row with McCarthy.

He vowed never to play for his

country again while English-born McCarthy was in charge.

Dubliner Kerr took over as manager following McCarthy's departure in the wake of a disappointing start to the qualifying campaign for the 2004 European championship.

Ireland play Scotland at Glasgow's Hampden Park on February 12.

SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Shay Given (Newcastle United), Dean Kiely (Charlton Athletic), Nick Colgan (Hibernian), Defenders: Ian Harte (Leeds

United), Gary Breen (West Ham United), Gary Kelly (Leeds United), Kenny Cunningham (Birmingham City), John O'Shea (Manchester United), Stephen Carr (Tottenham

Hotspur), Richard Dunne (Manchester City), Steve Finnan (Fulham), Andy O'Brien (Newcastle United),

Midfielders: Matt Holland (Ipswich Town), Colin Healy (Celtic), Mark Kinsella (Aston Villa), Lee Carsley (Everton), Rory Delap (Southampton), Stephen McPhail (Leeds United),

Forwards: Mark Kennedy

(Wolverhampton Wanderers), Kevin Kilbane (Sunderland), Robbie Keane (Tottenham Hotspur), Clinton Morrison (Birmingham City), Damien Duff (Blackburn Rovers), Gary Doherty (Tottenham Hotspur), David Connolly (Wimbledon), Steven Reid (Millwall).