Brian Kerr has drafted in Borussia Dortmund's Patrick Kohlmann for next week's invitation tournament in the Netherlands when the Irish under18s will come up against some of the best under age club sides in Europe.
Kerr, who is hoping to use the event as preparation for the forthcoming European Youth finals in Sweden, has opted to rest some of the players who helped the team through the qualification process, admitting that some of them need the rest. He is, in any case, glad to get a look at some of those who have not played for him in recent times through injury.
Kohlmann, though, will be a complete newcomer, Kerr having originally heard about him through a letter from his mother.
He was the captain of the German club's under-16 team last season and, along with FC Haarlem goalkeeper Wesdie Abdelaziz, who has already played for Ireland at the Meridien Cup in South Africa, could prove a very useful addition to the panel.
Republic of Ireland (Under-18 squad): J Murphy (Tranmere), W Abdelaziz (FC Haarlem), K Doherty (Liverpool), P Murphy (Blackburn Rovers), J Frost (Waterford Utd), D Geary (Sheffield Wednesday), C Delaney (UCD), L Miller (Celtic), T Shields (Peterborough Utd), C O'Grady (Sligo Rovers), P O'Mara (Liverpool), R Partridge (Liverpool), S Byrne (West Ham), P Drew (Home Farm), C Martyn (UCD), T Fitzpatrick (Southend Utd), P Kohlmann (Borussia Dortmund), G Barrett (Arsenal).
