Republic of Ireland manager Martin O'Neill will leave Robbie Keane to decide if he is mentally ready to play in Saturday's Euro 2016 qualifier against Scotland after suffering a double family tragedy.

Keane's cousin Alan Harris died on Wednesday after being overcome by toxic fumes while working in a sewer and the Ireland captain was still reeling from that horrific news when he discovered on Friday that Alan's brother Stephen had also died after the same incident.

The 34-year-old trained with the Ireland squad on Friday, but did not attend the Republic's pre-match press conference and O'Neill revealed the LA Galaxy forward, who is his country's record goalscorer, had been deeply affected by the news.

"It was obviously very bad news this morning, so he's not feeling great, I must admit. Obviously he feels for the family and he is quite down at the moment," O'Neill told reporters on Friday.

"I'm hoping that he'll come round, but if he feels he wants to participate in the game tomorrow, it will be entirely his decision.

"I don't think you could ever question his professionalism, it's how he's feeling within himself, really, as much as anything else.

"But as I say, it was obviously bad news this morning. He's not great."

Ireland would leapfrog the Scots, who currently sit in third place in Group D, with a victory in Dublin, but defeat would represent a massive blow to their hopes of qualification.

However, O'Neill rejected a suggestion that the campaign has stalled since the Irish were beaten by Scotland in Glasgow last year.

"We were beaten by Scotland with a goal scored in the 75th minute and we drew with Poland, and the game before that we drew with Germany in Germany," he said.

"They are world champions and they had won that about three months earlier, and we had won the first two games. I'm not so sure it's been a real stalling."

Meanwhile, Scotland manager Gordon Strachan says there is no chance his team, who are level with second-placed Germany and one point behind Group D leaders Poland, will play for a draw at Lansdowne Road.

"I can't remember any manager telling me -- and I am going back 40 years -- that this is the way you play for a draw," he said.

"I don't think I have tried it myself. Try to win the game and see what happens after that.

"Would I take a draw? There will be point added somewhere along the line but you don't know the points total you have to achieve.

"It might have no relevance to where we end up or it might be important, you never know."