News: Brian Kerr was hopeful last night that he will have a close to full-strength squad for the friendly international against Australia tomorrow night when, the Ireland manager says, the main aim will be to extend the run of wins achieved since he took charge in February.
"What we'll be looking to do is to pick up from where we left off, to maintain the momentum and to get the same level of commitment from the players," he said last night. "You don't want to be trying to switch on and off when it comes to international football. The approach will be that this is the start of the preparations for the Russia match and the intention is to go into that game off the back of another win."
Kerr knew last week that he would be without Lee Carsley and Steven Reid for the game due to injury but, as of last night, it appeared that all 21 of the other players named in his squad would be available to him.
"Everyone who was due in today arrived, we had 14 and we went training," said Kerr. "I'm still waiting for firm word on a couple of the lads that played this afternoon but Shay (Given) is okay, Matt Holland is okay, I'm presuming Andy O'Brien is all right, Richard Dunne and Ian Harte didn't play so they should be fine, so with a bit of luck we'll have everyone."
The manager predicted a tight game with the Australians who, he remarked, have made a good deal of progress during the past few years. "We took the game because we felt it would provide a bit of a test for us. They're a good side, beat England a few months back, and most of the players would be fairly familiar to us so it should be interesting."
The game should provide Kerr with an opportunity to give a run to a couple of his less used players and one or two who missed the June qualifiers, with Clinton Morrison and Steve Finnan both likely to feature if felt to be fully fit.
The morning after the game Kerr will head to Geneva, where Switzerland play a friendly against France, while Noel O'Reilly will take in Russia's game against Israel in Moscow.
"The timing of the game is good that way," remarked the Ireland manager.
"And the clubs seem to be happier too that they will be getting the players back with them a day earlier. It's awkward as well, though, because it's very little time to have the lads who played for their clubs today and it's very little recovery time for them before our match."
Meanwhile, the bulk of the Australian squad also arrived in Dublin yesterday, with only Liverpool's Harry Kewell and two of the continent-based players, Josip Skoko of Genclerbirligi and Parma's Marco Bresciano, scheduled to join up with manager Frank Farina's travelling party this morning.
There was, however, a small boost to the FAI's campaign to prevent Rangers players being booed at Lansdowne Road in the form of news that the club's defender, Craig Moore, has been pulled from the game due to a hamstring problem.
