The pool of talent is too small for the exclusion of the Sunderland midfielder and others,writes Brian Kerr

MUCH OF the concentration surrounding the Ireland team in recent days has been about the exclusion of Andy Reid, Joe O'Brien and even Rory Delap from Giovanni Trapattoni's plans. Associated with this is the ongoing strike of in-form Manchester City midfielder Stephen Ireland. Turns out Ireland may be in-form in the wrong position.

It's all a little strange, given that none of the above have played any part in a decent qualifying campaign to date and statements from the man himself, and more recently Liam Brady, indicate the unlikelihood of their involvement in the near future.

Should we all just move on? We can't, really, because the pool of Irish talent is too small while, in the case of Reid and Stephen Ireland, such quality remains in short supply. It is a theme that cannot be left alone.

O'Brien appears to have committed international football suicide by going public on his frustrations about not getting any game time under the new regime. That breaks an unspoken rule and he may pay a heavy price.

I agree with the non-selection of Delap despite his novel influence at throw-ins and the huge regard in which he is held at Stoke. He has decent physical attributes but not enough subtlety to his game for the international arena.

Reid's continued absence remains the most contentious issue. The matter was not helped this week by conflicting messages from the manager and Brady.

I feel the slight on Andy's character under-pinning the decision is outrageous. The reason there has been so much comment is because those who have come in contact with him have been hugely impressed by his personal qualities and professionalism.

There are hundreds of supporters, journalists, players and staff who can confirm Andy's high levels of co-operation, good humour, dedication and commitment to the Ireland cause - allied to his performances for Ireland at all levels.

I've tried hard to understand the logic behind Trapattoni and Brady's arguments but it doesn't add up. The perception is that Reid is a negative addition to the Ireland squad but that is ludicrous when sifting through the talent currently available.

Stephen Ireland's continued absence is exacerbated by his recent club form. Amazingly, Trapattoni suggested he would not fit into the new Ireland system, considering his current free role behind the striker at Manchester City.

The truth is both players are hugely adaptable, tactically quite astute and capable of compensating for any physical shortfall with an incisive genius and perception that is uncommon in the game.

There is another obvious problem here. The November friendly window is notorious for igniting the club versus country controversy. Until I gained the complete trust of the managers, I would regularly receive calls around November, February and April requesting minimal use of players.

Indeed, one particularly high-profile manager used to gather his players in advance of departure on international week and tell them not to bother returning if they played more than 45 minutes, as they wouldn't be in his team anyway. This may sound a little extreme but at least the players were released, in contrast to others who were regularly withdrawn on a flimsy excuse.

Continued co-operation with the clubs is absolutely vital. The pressure on Fifa and Uefa to reduce the number of international dates is increasing all the time and I expect the money train to prevail with Tuesday matches ensuring players return earlier.

With so few of our current squad playing regularly at their clubs - only Shay Given, Richard Dunne, Damien Duff, Kevin Doyle and Robbie Keane at present - I presume Trapattoni has received few calls and he should still be inclined towards a few extra substitutions tonight.

Certain commentators have poured scorn on my suggestion that the players become peeved and unsettled by the consistency of selection that is Trapattoni's starting line-ups and infrequent use of the bench.

All this, along with early team announcements, lead to a situation where up to 14 players are reduced to bit parts during the most important training sessions. O'Brien's comments are an indication of that frustration, which is surprising considering the age profile of the current group.

With Keane, Aiden McGeady and Steven Reid out, an opportunity has arisen tonight to assess others in a green shirt, rather than on DVD.

Up front, Caleb Folan has yet to nail down a starting berth at Hull City but has definitely improved from the awkward, unco-ordinated striker I assessed as a teenager at Leeds United, before his eventual emergence at Chesterfield. Despite an initial reluctance to accept Steve Staunton's invitation, he now appears more enthusiastic and may become a viable alternative since the discarding of Clinton Morrison.

I'm delighted at Noel Hunt's inclusion, as will the hardcore element at Waterford United and Shamrock Rovers, two clubs he served well before moving to Scotland, and subsequently Reading, this season. Provided he gets a chance, his work rate will keep the Polish defence under pressure.

Aside from the new editions, this looks like an opportunity for Glenn Whelan and Darron Gibson to solidify their midfield partnership, but Keith Andrews' emergence is interesting as he seemed to have drifted off the radar when dropping down to what in reality was division four football with MK Dons (we had him in the youth set-up when he was at Wolves).

Paul Ince's elevation to the Premier League with Blackburn Rovers has seen Andrews arrive at the top level on the former English midfielder's coat-tails. His good passing and ability to get into goalscoring positions are admirable but, like other similar players, he must adapt to the restrictive policy currently in place. If he gets a chance.

We now know to expect a conservative style and shape. It's not been pretty but it's been pretty effective. Results so far justify the approach.

That is our lot for now.