REPUBLIC OF IRELAND boss Giovanni Trapattoni won’t wing it in Sweden by experimenting with Wes Hoolahan in an unfamiliar wide role.
With regular wide man Aiden McGeady ruled out of Trapattoni’s 23-man squad with a knee injury, the Italian must assess his midfield options ahead of Friday’s crucial World Cup qualifier in Stockholm.
Hoolahan will join the squad in Malahide tomorrow after playing and scoring in Norwich’s 1-1 draw at Sunderland, though his involvement this afternoon was cut short when he was substituted following goalkeeper Mark Bunn’s red card.
Pressure on Trapattoni intensified when the Dubliner played himself into contention with a brilliant cameo against Poland last month, showing a great touch and awareness to score his first international goal.
But Trap won’t be tempted to experiment with him on the wing, particularly in such a high-stakes game.
“Usually we put him in his natural position,” Trapattoni, who turned 74 today, explained. “He plays behind the striker, not on the left or right.”
We won’t start this way against Sweden [with Hoolahan wide]. It’s important to have balance in the positions. That is very, very important.Hoolahan needs to play in his position. He’s good in his position.
Trapattoni also faces a selection headache in defence where the continued absence of Richard Dunne due to injury is denying him one of his first-choice centre-halves.
Sean St Ledger is available and in the squad, though he has only started two matches for Leicester since coming back from a five-month lay-off with a serious hamstring injury.
Following Seamus Coleman’s man-of-the-match performance for Everton yesterday, and with Ciaran Clark impressing at the heart of Aston Villa’s defence, Trapattoni may skip over St Ledger but the player insists he’s ready if needed on Friday.
“I spoke with him,” Trapattoni explained. “He’s ready.”
I was worried about his injury but I was in touch with him and he said to me, ‘I am fit and ready.’ I said to him to be careful because maybe we will need him in this game [against Sweden] because they have very quick strikers.
“We have good options. We have John O’Shea, also [Darren] O’Dea, but at this moment we have two or three days to evaluate him.
“Clarke is playing well. I have good options.”
O’Dea and regular captain Robbie Keane are due to fly in to camp tomorrow evening, while Trapattoni’s assistant Marco Tardelli and goalkeeping coach Alan Kelly are both expected to arrive tonight having both been ill in recent days.
Was the same when he came off the bench for Ireland. Threw a bad pass into touch and another one on the ground. Just didn’t look comfortable, probably a lack of game time as mentioned in the article. Was excellent at U20s and obviously has huge potential but to think he’s the 3rd best out half in Ireland right now is a huge insult to billy burns, carty, and Ben Healy who are all much better right now. Would have liked to see Healy rewarded with a call up to autumn squad as a young developing player but it wasn’t to be.
@guineon: waste of time! Why are we indulging this guy? Ross is a far superior player?
@guineon: he was brought into the irish squad because of his promise as a young player. Farrell knows what burns can do and had seen carty up close too during the world cup. Ben healy has just started to get game time and his club picks carbury ahead of him. So its not really an insult to anyone that a coach whos put time and effort into a very young player wants give him a chance.
If healy gets past carbury at club level he makes the irish squad. Carty has the chance to continue his clib form and if he does he’ll make the squad.
Burns dosent kick for his club so honestly needs to be much better thsn everyone else to make ireland and hes not.
@Chris Mc: Harry Byrne is not first choice for his club so why id he included if your using that logic? In fact his brother Is actually starting ahead of him is he not? He’s third choice 10 at Leinster and has done absolutely nothing in his senior career to justify an Irish cap. It’s a joke and it robs better players of caps
@guineon: i never said he should be in the squad. I just gave my opinion on why he’s there.
The better players you talk about burns? had a go and didnt take the shirt hes not an international outhalf, Ross the same and well attacking running rugby thats just not his game at all.
Carty is in great form in the league and if he continues he will force his way into the sqaud.
Healy is the very same as harry was 6 months ago, very young and has played very well in the limited time hes been given. But if hes to make the irish side he has to get past carbury.
I think Frawley is leinsters answer at 10 after sexton.
Farrells selection of both carbury and harry was to add on to the work he’d started in the summer internationals. This seems to be the reasoning to it.
@Chris Mc: I agree with the Frawley answer, he looks like a potential 10/12 in the vein of Owen Farrell, but he’s been very solid as a 10. Makes clever plays.
But I don’t think we’ve seen the last of Billy Burns, I think he’s still got feathers to his cap and could make it as international. I like what I’ve seen from Ben Healy so far, but with Carbury back he’ll have to be patient. Still plenty of big games ahead for him as Munster number 2.
@SPQH: the problem with burns is he doesnt kick for his club so to step up at international level would be some gamble.
Healy and frawley for me are the 2 we should be looking at.
I am not convinced by joey, hes always been more of a 15 for me. A top class goal kicker all the same.
Carty is playing the best of all of them and if he brings thst form into the next 3 or 4 weeks will make the irish squad.
Harry is young enough no question but he needs to start ahead of his brother or else he’ll fade away. I get why he was in the novwmber squad but Theres is no explanation for him in the squad for the 6 nations if hes not playing especially while sexton is out.
@Chris Mc: players need to be judged on European Cup games, it’s a higher standard than the league. Any player would look good when he comes on against a team when they are winning by 20+ points. Harry Byrne needs a run of games to settle in, as does a lot of other players. Parachuting players, especially young players, in and out of teams is hampering them.
@Patrick O Connell: the problem with setting europe as the standard is after sexton none have grest european form. Ross b played well v Exeter im not sure your suggesting he should play for ireland.
@Chris Mc: As an Ulster supporter I believe that Harry Byrne is the real deal. Just give the lad time. He’ll get there.
68 minutes of rugby. Says it all really. Least time is on his side.
Just a point of information. Burns has and does kick at goal for Ulster when Cooney is absent. He is actually an o.k. kicker. With the arrival of Doak also being a top level kicker Burns’ opportunities will be even fewer I suspect but he is decent enough. Ironically the best goal kicker in Ulster is Rob Lyttle. He is a phenomenal goal kicker.