Hearts' Elliott as Keane a goalscorer as Ireland has

BRIAN KERR is a sagacious veteran of Irish football, a genuine gent but with the gruff exterior of a man who knows what it takes to hone international footballers. When he explains how he regarded Stephen Elliott as the Republic's next Robbie Keane, the inherent potential of the Hearts forward is clear.

Four goals in his club's last six matches confirm Elliott's value as a dynamic forward with an uncanny ability to find the net. He has taken time to establish himself since arriving from Preston North End last August but is now thriving as the focal point of the Tynecastle forward line. From his base in the footballing outpost that is Torshavn, where he coaches the Faroe Islands' national team, Kerr is not surprised in the slightest.

The 57-year-old granted Elliott an international debut in 2004 whilst managing the Republic of Ireland. He had overseen the striker's progress from under-16 to under-21 level having previously worked as the FAI's technical director. He noted a natural teenage finisher with the potential to become a mainstay in the senior squad. Robbie Keane Mark II, so he believed.

"Robbie Keane was exceptional as an international youth player in terms of goalscoring," said Kerr. "Robbie wasn't a big strong centre-forward either. Stephen Elliott would have been the next natural goalscorer that came along through the age-groups. If you got hold of his goalscoring record in youth internationals, it was brilliant. He scored in big games as well, big matches when we needed him.

"Stephen has a great work rate and honesty about him. If you were hanging on in a match he is a good lad to have, a good scrapper who will take responsibility. I'm not surprised he is scoring a few goals again. I think he just needed to get back playing under someone with a bit of faith in him.

"I was delighted to hear on Saturday that he'd scored a couple of goals for Hearts at Hamilton. I was on the radio covering a match in England and they said to me that one of my old players had scored. I knew there was a good chance it would be Elliott. His confidence is starting to come back now and things are beginning to happen for him at Hearts. I'm glad to see it because he's a good fella."

Injuries hindered Elliott at several high-profile English clubs - Kerr believes he could be playing in the Premier League were it not for fitness problems and subsequent loss of confidence - but the SPL has proven a warming environment.

In the absence of Kevin Kyle, Elliott's mantra has been to provide a clinical finishing touch to the attacking football exhibited by Hearts this season. Gradually he is fulfilling obligations, with doubles at Rugby Park and New Douglas Park securing vital victories in recent weeks. Kerr, right, expects him only to become stronger, recalling the natural scoring instinct he has possessed since childhood.

"Stephen was a brilliant under-age player from schoolboy football," continued Kerr. "At under-13s, 14s and 15s he was a prolific goalscorer and carried that into under-16 international football for Ireland. He wasn't a particularly big lad but he had a great eye for goal. He generally played above his age group, like I played him for the under-19s when he was an under-18 player and so on. He was always ahead of his age because he had that knack of scoring goals. Robbie Keane was the same.

"I remember playing Holland away in a European Under-19 Championship play-off game. We brought Stephen on with about five minutes to go, and with his first two touches he took the ball in an awkward position to the left of goal and cut back inside using only one touch. With his second he finished it into the far corner and we won the match 2-1. We held out in the second leg in Cork to reach the finals at the expense of a very strong Dutch team with players like Wesley Sneijder, Robin van Persie and Nigel de Jong.

"He played a little at under-21 level but we moved him up into the senior squad quickly because he had that precious ability to be in the right place and score goals. Over time he developed into a good target player as well. He's good with his back to goal, holding up the play and bringing in midfield players. He wouldn't win a huge amount of high balls but he was still competent in the air and he could link with other players.

"When I was international manager I brought him into the squad when he was about 20 or 21. He scored in my second last match in Cyprus when we won the game 1-0. It was a very good goal. I was surprised he didn't go on and flourish in the Premier League in England because he has that potential. I know he was held back a bit by injuries and probably lost form and confidence a bit.

"He was always one I liked. I have a lot of admiration for Stephen, as a person and as a player. He did very well for me. I wasn't around long enough with him in the full international squad and he didn't really get a go after I was finished. But you have to earn that right as well, you've got to be scoring goals at a decent level. I don't think he really got a chance after I went. Steve Staunton didn't play him much and he dropped out of the squad."

That strike in Cyprus remains Elliott's only international goal in nine caps. His Republic career went on hold as injuries restricted his appearances for clubs like Sunderland, Wolverhampton Wanderers and, finally, Preston. Re-establishing himself with his country is now a different proposition under the Italian regime of Giovanni Trapattoni and Marco Tardelli.

"The reality with Trapattoni, from what I hear, is that he doesn't go to see anybody play," said Kerr. "He could spend a month in Scotland watching young Irish players who have a bit of potential, but he's not going to do that. You've got Adam Rooney, Anthony Stokes, Stephen Elliott, Jon Daly, Sean Dillon is still knocking about, Conor Sammon has just left. I think they (the Italians] are looking for players doing it in the Premier League or the Championship in England, that's the reality. They've got Kevin Doyle, Robbie Keane and Leon Best in the top flight, then there's Shane Long scoring regularly at Reading.

"I wouldn't discount Stephen. As a young player he would have been ahead of many of those boys on his performances in the Irish youth teams. Even for me in the senior squad. There's just more for the international manager to pick from now, that's for sure."

Trapattoni does indeed have a far greater selection dilemma than Kerr did when facilitating Elliott's promotion to the senior Irish squad. The player's exploits in Edinburgh may ultimately be ignored by the veteran Italian, however his flourishing of late will have forced SPL clubs to make a collective note.