Wolves striker can't wait to tackle Birmingham City

Nov 24 2009 by Bill Howell, Birmingham Mail

WOLVES striker Kevin Doyle says he is relishing Sunday’s derby with Blues so he can get Ireland’s controversial World Cup exit out of his system.

He was left out of the squad completely at Chelsea with Mick McCarthy opting for a fresh Andrew Surman just three days after Doyle had played 120 minutes in Paris.

Doyle said he was keen to tackle Chelsea but admitted McCarthy’s decision to rest him was the right one.

“I’m looking forward to a week’s training and then a game to get everything that happened with Ireland out of my system,” Doyle said.

“I came back last Friday and did my warm down and travelled down to watch the lads on Saturday.

“In a way I’d have liked to have gone out there and got it out of my system then but the sensible option was for me not to play.”

Doyle admitted to being physically worn out from losing sleep after the France loss.

“It wasn’t even just what happened to us but the effects of all the build-up and the effort we put in to the two games,’’ he added.

“All of that was quite tough and really tiring.

“I did struggle to sleep afterwards and I am still going to sleep now thinking about it all and I’m sure I will be for a while to come yet.

“It was the sensible thing to do not to play and as it turned out I wouldn’t have made any difference to that result.”

Doyle admitted at the weekend that Swedish referee Martin Hansson was not to blame for his failure to spot Thierry Henry’s handball.

“I don’t blame the ref, I blame the linesman,” he said.

“If you look at the angle from the far side he has the perfect view of it. How he hasn’t given it, I don’t know.

“It’s hard to get over. Some decisions you accept but when it is that obvious that’s what really breaks your heart.

“I didn’t see it until afterwards. I came into the dressing room depressed, down, wanting to cry and then I saw a replay and my emotions turned to anger.

“You see the whole country’s reaction to it and I don’t think they’re going to forget about it in a hurry.”