Giovanni Trapattoni might have to put his tactical rethink on hold after it was confirmed today that Norwich City winger Anthony Pilkington has withdrawn from the Republic of Ireland squad.
The midfielder, who scored yesterday in the Canaries’ 3-2 win over Manchester City, was due to meet up with the Ireland squad on Sunday but has pulled out because of an ongoing knee problem.
“It wouldn’t be right for me to go away and then come back in pre-season struggling,” he told the Norwich Evening News. “I’ve had to manage the injury (to his patella tendon) towards the end of the season and because of my knee, I’ve picked up a few hamstring injuries.
“So I’ll go away in the summer, work hard, get 100 per cent fit and come back flying. So the management and the physio have pulled me out of the Ireland squad. I need to get treatment through the summer and an extra four games is not going to help me through pre-season.
“It’s unfortunate these injuries have popped up at the worst times for me. But like I say, I’ve got to put that behind me now, get right for next season and then hopefully see if I can get back in the Ireland squad.”
At his squad announcement last week, Trapattoni said Pilkington, who has now pulled out of three squads and is yet to make his debut, could facilitate a formation switch for Ireland, from 4-4-2 to 4-5-1.
The Italian suggested the 24-year-old was the type of wide player who could play in a three-man attacking midfield and allow clubmate Wes Hoolahan to operate in the centre behind a lone striker.
He, therefore, looked certain to debut against England in the May 29th friendly at Wembley, before a meeting with Georgia in Dublin on June 2nd and the World Cup qualifier against the Faroe Islands at the Aviva Stadium five days later.
Pilkington was already a doubt for the competitive fixture and the friendly against Spain in New York on June 11th, because they clash with his honeymoon, though Trapattoni had intended urging him to risk "problems with his wife" by postponing the trip.
“He doesn’t know what will happen in the future but he will have many opportunities to go on honeymoon,” he said last week.
