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Ireland has not played for Ireland since 2007. PA Archive/Press Association Images
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'If he wants to play he can call me' - O'Neill phones Stephen Ireland, gets no answer

The Ireland manager has said he only wants players who are interested in lining out for the international team.

MARTIN O’NEILL HAS revealed that he attempted to make contact with Stephen Ireland but his calls went unanswered.

The Ireland boss, who today announced his final squad for the summer friendlies with Turkey, Italy, Costa Rica and Portugal, recently attempted to phone the self-exiled Stoke City midfielder to discuss the possibility of an international return.

However, the 27-year-old wasn’t available and failed to return O’Neill’s calls before getting his agent to get in touch.

“I tried to get hold of him a couple of times by phone but it didn’t come through,” O’Neill told RTÉ 2FM’s Game On at today’s press conference. “I got no answer.

“Eventually his agent spoke to the FAI and I spoke to the agent. If he wants to call me, then fine. I can only assume that these games coming up were too soon for him.

If he wants to play then he will have to call me but I won’t be making the calls.

“I want players to come and play and if that is the case in July, then the door is open but I’m not going to go chasing things.”

Listen back to Game On on the RTÉ Player

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