SOCCER:JUST AS he did two years ago, Giovanni Trapattoni has rewarded the players who gave up the early part of their summer to come and play for him by naming the likes of Paul Green, Keith Fahey and Cillian Sheridan in an extended squad for the forthcoming game against Argentina.
Green and Fahey both made positive impacts when handed opportunities to play in the games against Paraguay and Algeria and Trapattoni suggested yesterday that they had earned the opportunity to cement their places in the panel ahead of the qualifying games at the start of September.
In effect, he acknowledged, the pair have leapfrogged James McCarthy in the pecking order behind Glenn Whelan, Keith Andrews and Darron Gibson for places in the Irish midfield with the Wigan based teenager, who pulled out of the end of season squad session and games in Dublin due to tiredness, made available to Noel King for the under-21 international against Estonia on August 10th. Sheridan, linked recently with a possible move to CSKA Sofia, is also in line to feature in that game but, pointedly, he has been named in the senior squad too.
“If you were me, what would you do?” asked the Italian yesterday. “Tell Fahey and Green: ‘You came and played well but now I’m calling McCarthy’. No. we are building step by step. These two players did well and now they have the chance to show that they can do it again.”
With 28 players named, the wider squad is generally short on surprises. Aiden McGeady, Kevin Foley, Marc Wilson and Andy Keogh are all included despite doubts about their fitness while Daryl Murphy, Eddie Nolan, Anthony Stokes and Leon Best are not.
Trapattoni suggested that he expects to be without a few of those he has named but, given the size of the group, gave the clear impression that he will not be adding to the list between now and the day of the game.
One player he insists is expected to make the trip home is Shay Given, the Manchester City goalkeeper whose fitness and longer term first team prospects have been the subject of a great deal of speculation through the close season.
Given said at the weekend that he is close to being match fit and that he hoped to play some part in City’s tour to the United States but reports on Monday suggested that his club manager, Roberto Mancini, was still telling reporters that he expects the Irishman to miss the start of the season.
Fit or not, there is a widely held belief in England that Joe Hart, who was the subject of enquiries by several other Premier League clubs, has received assurances that, having returned to Eastlands, he will be Mancini’s first choice at the start of the league campaign and on the strength of last season’s form while on loan at Birmingham City, that could leave Given with a major problem.
The manger’s most pressing concern will be the goalkeeper’s availability for the games against Armenia and Andorra and, he said yesterday, Given himself seems confident on that front.
“I texted him and he answered me the day before yesterday: ‘I am fit, I am well, I am confident’. He said he might play some time in a friendly game for his club very soon. I said: ‘Good, come with us’. When he is here we can decide.”
The game, Trapattoni maintains, is another opportunity to build confidence amongst his players after strong performances against Italy and France at the end of the last qualifying campaign. But now they apply themselves again “without arrogance” to the challenge presented by ostensibly more beatable opposition. “The players must perform again.”
Last night’s decision by the Argentine Football Association (AFA) to sack Diego Maradona following a unanimous vote by the countrys board not to renew his contract robs Trapattoni of a chance to pit his wits against a player he admired during his tenure in Italy.
The Republic of Ireland manager seemed confident that the 49-year-old would be kept on, but as it turned out the federation were unwilling to indulge their former captain in the same way as Napoli did during Maradona’s memorable seven year spell there.
“For 10 years he was one of the great players,” observed Trapattoni. “He was a unique player, not just for his technical abilities but also for his personal life. And if Napoli hadn’t accepted him as he was, they never would have won anything.”
Trapattoni spent the early part of Maradona’s time in Naples in charge of Juventus who are due to arrive in Ireland today ahead of tomorrow’s sold out Europa League game against Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght, an encounter the veteran feels his former club needs to be wary of.
“At this moment they have changed the coach and many players. They have three or four individual players who are strong and could win the game for them. But it’s the first moment of the season and like all teams, they are not in good condition.
“I cannot say in Ireland that Shamrock Rovers can win because tomorrow it will be reported in Italy,” he concluded, “but I think it’s not sure that Juventus will win.”
Ireland squad
v Argentina, Aviva Stadium, Wednesday, August 11th, 7.45pm Given (Manchester City), Westwood (Coventry City), Murphy (Scunthorpe Utd); O’Shea (Manchester United), Dunne (Aston Villa), St Ledger (Preston), Cunningham (Manchester City), Foley (Wolves), Wilson (Portsmouth), Kelly (Fulham), McShane (Hull City), O’Dea (Celtic), Kilbane (Hull City); Andrews (Blackburn Rovers), Whelan (Stoke City), Gibson (Manchester Utd), Green (Derby County), Lawrence (Stoke City), McGeady (Celtic), Keogh (Wolves), Duff (Fulham), Fahey (Birmingham City), Treacy (Preston NE), Sheridan (Celtic), Keane (Tottenham), Doyle (Wolves), Folan (Hull City), Long (Reading).
