Given gone? Shay hints strongly at hanging up his gloves

He came in for a bit of stick after last night and now Shay Given admits it might be time to retire from international football.

Conceding seven goals in two games would put any goalkeeper into a bad mood. Add in some bad luck, and a rising list of niggling injuries, and you can understand why Shay Given might be in despondent mood right now.

So it is only with mild surprise that we learn that the Donegal stopper is pondering his international future. When asked by BBC TV after the match about his own future Given replied: "Maybe it is time for others to step up now."

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live in another interview after the 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Spain Given was asked about his appetite for international football. The Villa man said: "We'll see...I'll have a long think and decide then." When pressed that he had a bit of thinking to do then, Given replied: "Yes, definitely."

At 36, Given is by no means over the hill for a goalkeeper but his reactions for Torres’ first goal, and a poor punch for the second last night, drew much ire on Twitter. However, he also made a number of super saves, and without him the scoreline would have far worse than 4-0.

With 124 caps to his name, nobody has appeared more often for the Boys in Green and seeing an Irish side line out next season without him would be strange.

Understudy Keiren Westwood sees little enough action at Sunderland at present but he is capable enough and at 28 he will eventually take up the gloves from Given anyway.

The question now is who else may go with Given into international retirement. Robbie Keane, Damien Duff, John O’Shea and Richard Dunne are all the far side of 30. If any, or all, of those also decide to quit, it will be a radically different side who will be bidding to make it to Brazil in 2014.

As the saying goes, we won't really appreciate them until they are gone.