ACE ANDREWS ROVER-JOYED WITH EVENTS.

Byline: By PAUL O'HEHIR

IF YOU were hurtling along at a hundred miles an hour you'd reach for the breaks at some stage - but not Keith Andrews who just wants to go faster and faster.

The 28-year-old Dubliner has been catapulted into the big time in recent months and admits he has to pinch himself occasionally to see if he's dreaming.

Trundling through League Two a year ago, but now he's mixing it up on the Premier League and international stages. It's a remarkable turnaround, a stunning story.

"I sit down after games and reflect on them, on how well I have been doing and how quickly things have been moving," said the Blackburn midfielder.

"You do have to put things into perspective but at the same time it can be taken away in a flash so you have got to be grateful and enjoy it."

But Andrews' rise to prominence could very easily not have materialised, and the reasoning why merely illustrates how fickle football really is.

He was on top of his game for MKDons in the equivalent of the fourth division and manager Paul Ince had instilled a confidence and swagger to his game.

But Andrews was bursting at the seams, potential flowing out of every pore and advertising the fact that he needed to step up a level.

And the opportunity presented itself as other clubs attempted to lure Ince away. The former Manchester United ace was hot property himself.

League One Leciester City were particularly keen, but the landscape changed when Blackburn batted their eyelids in Ince's direction.

Wherever Ince moved to, Andrews would surely follow and so it proved with Rovers stumping up the cash for a three-year deal worth up to pounds 1.3million.

Andrews added: "We had conversations throughout the summer. Thankfully he went to Black burn rather than Leicester!

"But it is fair to say that I probably would have gone to wherever he went, depending on the calibre of the club and things like that. "I am very grateful he did end up at a Premier League club and decided to take me with him.

"Paul bided his time and waited for the big one in his eyes and it ended up being in the Premier League. It's very fine lines as you know in football.

"On the whole you do earn your own luck and you've got to do things right over a prolonged period of time so maybe I was due a little bit of a break.

The former Wolves player added: "I have a hell of a lot to be grateful to Paul Ince for. I have learned a lot for him.

"He would have been part of that crop of players that I would have looked up to, especially playing in my position.

"He was one of those players you would aspire to be, in the same bracket as Roy Keane and people like that."

While he takes time to adjust to his new life as a Premier League footballer, Andrews also has to come to terms with his Republic of Ireland elevation.

Having impressed in the Ireland B win over Nottingham Forest, he was promoted to the senior squad for last month's qualifier against Cyprus.

He didn't come off the bench that night but manager Giovanni Trapattoni has strongly hinted that he will feature against Poland tonight, possibly from the start.

And it is Trapattoni's willingness to take a punt on a relatively unknown player that Andrews is drawing particular confidence from.

It proves you don't have to be a high-earning Premier League regular to stake a claim. Clearly, you can come crawling though the back door and Trapattoni will still make you welcome at the party.

CAPTION(S):

SELF BELIEF Keith Andrews is delighted with his meteoric rise into the squad