European Championship/Ireland team news: Given the quality of the opposition next week, it might be a little bit much to use the standard tag of "crisis" but Steve Staunton did appear to potentially have a goalkeeping "situation" on his hands yesterday as he named his squad for next week's San Marino game, writes Emmet Malone, Soccer Correspondent

Though Shay Given has been included just seven weeks after undergoing surgery on a perforated bowel, significant doubt remains as to whether the Donegalman will be allowed travel to Dublin by his club.

Paddy Kenny, meanwhile, has been omitted after a spell in which he has struggled with minor injuries and endured a difficult break up with his wife after just two years of marriage. All of which leaves Wayne Henderson as a strong contender to start in goal again.

Given, maintained Staunton, has made good progress in training during the last week and could well be fit enough to feature in the European Championship qualifier. Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder, however, has said that the player will not be released unless he features against Manchester City at the weekend.

Asked about the comments, Staunton observed that it would take "a brave man to tell Shay he can't come", but one as desperate as Roeder may also just about work up the courage too and with his side having taken just two points from seven Premiership games since Given was injured the manager will certainly be more anxious to get him back into his own side than Ireland's.

In the circumstances, allowing Kenny, who Staunton confirmed is available for selection, the opportunity to "get things right" might be a tiny bit rash but the Louthman insists that he has faith in Henderson after the Brighton goalkeeper's generally impressive performance on his competitive debut last month.

There are few other surprises in the squad with Lee Carsley, Stephen Kelly and Alan Quinn all retaining their places while Seán St Ledger and Alan O'Brien drop down into the B squad where Cardiff City's Stephen McPhail is also included.

Though San Marino have conceded 20 goals in their opening two qualifiers and done a good deal to undermine the old adage that there is no such thing as an easy game in international football, Staunton insisted that he would take next week's outing every bit as seriously as he would any other competitive match. "They make life very difficult," he insisted. "They get everybody bar their captain behind the ball and play very narrow, almost like they have four centre halves."

Pressed about the expectation that Ireland will win easily he acknowledged that the supporters will expect a very good night and said he too was aiming for a "good performance and a win". Ultimately, though, he said that he would settle for the three points.

Ireland could certainly do with them after a disappointing start to the campaign in which they have taken just one point from three games. Staunton, however, insists that he has not given up on qualification, insisting that while the Czechs and Germans have been impressive to date, "there'll be points dropped by both down the line and it'll be up to us to capitalise on that when it happens".

It seems a rather optimistic outlook but anything less than a win on this occasion would make such talk look utterly ridiculous while also reopening all of the speculation regarding the manager's future.

He does, at least, have a strong squad to choose from again after all of the injury problems that plagued him in the run up to the Cypriot and Czech games. There was a hint yesterday, though, that at least one of the beneficiaries of those difficulties may retain his place next week with Paul McShane having staked a strong claim to a regular starting spot with a hugely impressive debut in the draw at Lansdowne Road last month.

"He was very close to starting against Cyprus as well," said Staunton before going on to suggest that he had gone off the idea of playing him after a conversation with Bobby Robson.

The only difficulty is that the young centre half, the League Cup defeat by Arsenal aside, has not featured for West Brom since returning from the Czech game although Staunton is clearly not overly concerned about that.

"Well, you can't blame West Brom," he said. "He came back suspended and they then beat Ipswich 5-1 so you've got to stick with the team in those circumstances. As a young lad I don't need to worry about his fitness and you like to think that he'll be involved at the weekend."

McShane's main rival for the second centre back slot has not fared much better in terms of first teams action of late although Andy O'Brien has played twice for Portsmouth in the last couple of weeks, once against Newcastle in the League Cup and last Saturday against Manchester United in the Premiership.

With regard to the preparations for next week's game, Staunton declined to discuss the prospect of his players getting to train at Croke Park next week beyond the fact that he had expressed a desire to do so. A request from the FAI was apparently declined on the basis that work on installing floodlights means that the ground is unavailable.

He said that he still hopes to have get a few sessions in there before Ireland's first match at the stadium and he confirmed that on this occasion that the proposed training game between the A and B teams is likely to take place at another venue early next week.

Republic of Ireland Squad

Shay Given ... (Newcastle United)
Wayne Henderson ... (Brighton)
Nicky Colgan ... (Barnsley)
Stephen Carr ... (Newcastle United)
Steve Finnan ... (Liverpool)
Paul McShane ... (West Bromwich Albion)
Richard Dunne ... (Manchester City)
Stephen Kelly ... (Birmingham)
Andy O'Brien ... (Portsmouth)
Jonathan Douglas ... (Leeds United)
Lee Carsley ... (Everton)
Aiden McGeady ... (Celtic)
Damien Duff ... (Newcastle United)
Kevin Kilbane ... (Wigan Athletic)
John O'Shea ... (Manchester United)
Alan Quinn ... (Sheffield United)
Andy Reid ... (Charlton)
Stephen Ireland ... (Manchester City)
Robbie Keane ... (Tottenham Hotspur)
Kevin Doyle ... (Reading)
Alan Lee ... (Ipswich Town)
Stephen Elliott ... (Sunderland)
Clinton Morrison ... (Crystal Palace)

• To play San Marino, Wednesday, November 15th, 2006 - Lansdowne Road.