Town skipper Matt Holland and his Irish team-mates will return to the Emerald Isle today to a rapturous reception. Holland says he enjoyed the tournament and is now aiming for qualification for the 2004 European Championships in Portugal.

Town's captain says his side can be proud of their performance. He told the club site: "We can go back with our heads held high. We outplayed one of the favourites for the trophy and have left the competition unbeaten in normal play.

"When you add the fact that we have played Holland and Portugal twice as well as Germany and Spain over the last two years and have not lost in any of those games, it is a good testament to the players we have."

He says he is coming to terms with his spot-kick miss, only the second penalty of his career, the first scored during his Bournemouth days: "I think I'm getting over it and then someone taps me on the back and offers words of sympathy and all the disappointment comes to the fore again.

"But someone has to miss in shoot-outs and I suppose the only plus-point, if there is one, is that it did not come down to only one player.

"When the final whistle went and it came down to the penalties, I looked around at the youngsters in our side and thought it was down to me as one of the more experienced players to volunteer to take a kick."

Holland returns to a vast amount of speculation regarding a possible move. Talk of £10 million switches to any of half the Premiership, or even abroad, have become a regular feature of the tabloids while Holland has been away.

Prior to sorting out his future, the Town skipper has another challenge to meet; a possible third consecutive victory at the Father's Day race at son Jacob's school.

Photo: Action Images

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