GIOVANNI TRAPATTONI HAS welcomed Paul McShane back into the Ireland squad by giving him a starting berth in tomorrow’s friendly game with Bosnia Herzegovina.
The Hull defender, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Crystal Palace, has not featured for the national team for nearly a year since captaining an understrength side to a 2-0 win over Italy last June.
However, due to a series of short-term injuries in Ireland’s backline, the 26-year-old received a call from the Italian earlier this week and will line out alongside Sean St Ledger, Richard Dunne and Stephen Ward at Lansdowne Road.
When asked why he was picked ahead of obvious replacement Stephen Kelly, Trap said that he wants to take the opportunity to assess the former Manchester United youngster.
Until this morning, I had doubts about Richard Dunne,” Trapattoni said at a press conference at Airside Ford in Swords today. “It is better that we give him (McShane) confidence like with (Darron) Gibson. Paul can play right and also in the centre.
“I know Kelly can play right well. He plays there for his team (Fulham). Now, I wish to see Paul in this position again.”
McShane is likely to travel to Italy for a training camp with the rest of the squad next week and, if one of the seven defenders chosen pulls out with injury, is favourite come into the final 23-man panel, which must be confirmed by May 29.