Irish squad announced for play-off deciders.

October 31, 2009

Giovanni Trapattoni yesterday announced the Irish squad for the World Cup play-off games against France in Dublin on November 14th and Paris on the 18th.

And, as is now usual with an Irish squad announcement, there was more questions about the players that were not in the squad than those that were named.

In defence, Steve Finnan seemed likely to be called up to add extra pace, creativity and experience as he is back to full fitness and providing some stability to the Portsmouth back four.

In midfield, although Irish fans now seem consigned to the fact that Stephen Ireland does not want to play for his country, and Andy Reid can’t seem to get a call up for love nor money, it was widely hoped and expected that his names’ sake Stephen Reid would’ve been one of the first names in the team now that he appears to be free from injury after a long lay-off.

With ever-present midfielder Glen Whelan suspended for the first game in Dublin, it seemed like an obvious replacement. However, Mr Trapatoni seemed to be thinking along different lines and made the odd decision not to call him up, opting instead to remain with the same midfield that has been selected for the previous games against Italy and Montenegro.

In the strikers department, there was some further strange choices, especially when injuries to regular members are taken into account.

Caleb Folan was joined by Noel Hunt on the injured list this week, and there are questions over the fitness of Coventry striker Leon Best. All of this lead to suggestions of a recall for Best’s team mate, Clinton Morrison. Morrison has been gaining positive reviews for his 6 goals and impressive performances so far this season for the Championship team, and made no secret of his desire to wear the green again.

As the squad was announced it became apparent that it was going to be a case of same as it ever was with none of the anticipated names earning a call up.

When questioned about these missing names, Trapattoni suggested that he didn’t want to change the squad now, after having got us through the qualifying campaign unbeaten.

And although this is fact, it should be noted that it is possibly bending the truth ever so slightly. As in the ten games that were played in the qualifying campaign, Ireland only won four of them, and those occurred against Cyprus and Georgia, two of the so called “weaker” teams.

On this record, Ireland have a greater possibility of drawing games than winning them, which in a play-off situation generally means the odds of progressing are lessened due to the importance of away goals at the end of 180 minutes.

Another point of interest is that Ireland haven’t had the all these players available during the majority of the campaign due to injuries, and by not selecting them now purely because they weren’t in the previous squads seems a little odd as surely the overall aim is qualification, right?

French coach Raymond Domenech has decided that he will not confirm his squad until next Thursday due to some injury doubts. Having already announced that influential midfielder Franck Ribery will definitely be missing, there are worries over the fitness of striker Thierry Henry, which would be a massive loss to the French, but alternatively, a massive boost in the Irish.

Along with the possible French withdrawals, there are still questions hanging over the squad morale and in particular, Domenech’s often strange team selections and well documented fall outs with most of the big name characters.

For Ireland, it could be a good time to take on the extremely talented French when they seem to be far from harmonious in the camp. However the fact that there does appear to some very talented Irish players watching proceedings from their living rooms’ and not having an active role, is one that will play on Irish fans minds up until the end of the 180 minutes that stand between them and World Cup Qualification.

If it the result is positive, Trappatoni will no doubt go down in Irish folklore and earn him possible honorary sainthood. A negative one however, will raise many questions over this squad selection and his future at the helm of the team.

One thing is certain though, they will be a nail biting couple of games and one feels that the squad announcements is only the start of the drama that will unfold before the proverbial carrot being dangled over the heads of both teams is grasped and World Cup qualification is secured.

The Irish squad in full is:

Goalkeepers: Shay Given, Kieran Westwood, Joe Murphy.

Defenders: John O’Shea, Richard Dunne, Stephen Kelly, Kevin Kilbane, Eddie Nolan, Sean St. Ledger, Paul McShane, Darren O’ Dea.

Midfielders: Aiden McGeady, Damien Duff, Darron Gibson, Glenn Whelan, Keith Andrews, Liam Miller, Stephen Hunt, Andy Keogh, Liam Lawrence.

Forwards: Kevin Doyle, Robbie Keane, Shane Long, Leon Best, Anthony Stokes

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