A flowing 15-pass move saw Barry Robson cross for Stuart Duff, whose volley narrowly cleared the bar.However, United then switched to route one to restore parity in the 24th minute. Bullock had just saved a header from Bobo Bald?hen he launched an immense kick-out that sailed over the Celtic defence, where Jim McIntyre got in behind Stan Varga to hook the ball past Robert Douglas.Ten minutes later, United were behind again to a goal of sumptuous quality. Bellamy profited from a fine pass down the left touchline by Alan Thompson, eluding Paul Ritchie and advancing into the box. However, this time, Bellamy raked his shot into the side-netting.Bullock then saved a diving header from John Hartson but gradually Dundee United grabbed a foothold in the contest. I want my next club to be a big one and hopefully a deal can be done with Celtic.”It took Bellamy just five minutes to make his impact.

Jackie McNamara created the opening with a surging run before supplying Bellamy, wide on the right, who steadied himself and measured a venomous angled shot, from 20 yards past the goalkeeper Tony Bullock, that found the roof of the net.Poor Dundee United were almost over-run in a frenetic opening. But the on-loan Wales international striker showed why Newcastle United want £6m to make the deal permanent.”I did not come here for a free ride,” Bellamy said afterwards “I wanted to make my mark This was a big three points for us. To the south of Dublin, Robbie Keane was doing the same in Tallaght Swing round and Damien Duff was out there in Ballyboden. Welsh football’s future – not to mention that of Toshack – undoubtedly hangs on everyone else pulling together.. “People probably are expecting us to qualify but we’re not looking at it like that,” Reid says “We are not cocky. We are just going about the job professionally.”It is why he rates Saturday’s match in Tel Aviv “the biggest we have had so far”.

But such is the belief in the Irish squad that Reid can also reflect on those two draws as points dropped “We could have won both,” he says. “We had the chances.” This time the trium-virate intend to take them.. Craig Bellamy inscribed a hat-trick on a remarkable contest at Tannadice yesterday that took Celtic back to the top of the Scottish Premier League. “He knows every single thing about every single footballer in the world, pretty much. And I think that as an international manager that is what you need.”Reid has won with Kerr in the past. Along with John O’Shea and Liam Miller he was in the Irish Under-16s team who, amazingly, triumphed at the 1998 European Championships.

That longevity means that many in the senior squad are not just team-mates but friends. “I’m working with people I’ve known for a lot of my life,” Reid says.And there is science as well as sociability. He acknowledges that many will be as sceptical as Wenger about the need for it, but insists: “It may be strange to some people, but that extra week is very, very important. When you go and get good results and play well and play entertaining football it raises the expectancy and people are excited.”Qualification is being talked about, not just whispered, back in those Dublin streets.

Draws away to Switzerland and France, as well as impressive victories in friendly matches, have fired expectation.”But that’s what happens when you get results and when you have a good team,” Reid says “And make no mistake, we are a good team, a good squad Sometimes people overlook the quality we have. “It covers the last four months,” he says.The next few months are crucial. Ireland sit on top of Group Four – on goal difference – in the tightest of four-horse races which includes a dangerous, if somewhat unknown, Israel. The tailored DVDs Kerr introduced – containing information, clips and highlights of opponents and what the Irish players themselves have done – are still being sent One was delivered to Reid last week. And I think that has continued and grown under Brian Kerr.”There has also been a shift in attitude. “The point that has been made before is that Ireland teams have been happy to go to World Cups and simply be happy to be there,” he says “But that has changed in the last campaign And I think the mentality has changed now You don’t just go and do that I mean, look at the last World Cup.