Apology the way back for Reid, says Bruce

INTERNATIONAL NEWS: SUNDERLAND BOSS Steve Bruce believes Andy Reid may have to swallow his pride and apologise to Giovanni Trapattoni for his behaviour in Mainz last year to have any chance of resurrecting his international career in the immediate future.

Bruce paid tribute yesterday to the way the Dubliner has worked to improve his fitness and game since the summer but suggested the player’s problems at international level may require a little more if they are to be sorted out.

“I can only go from my personal experience with him and he has done fantastically well since I have been here to lose 20lbs.

“He certainly looks a Premier League player now and he showed his ability at Old Trafford where he produced some fantastic one-twos and a great ball in for Kenwyne (Jones) to score.

“It’s not my job to pick the Irish national team but like Darren Bent, all he can do is play well enough for us to keep the debate going. If Ireland are lucky enough to get there (the World Cup) whether Andy will be there I don’t know.

“There has been a falling-out, that’s for sure and whether it is going to be repaired you will have to ask the warring parties.

“Mr Trapattoni has wonderful qualifications. He has been there, done it and worn the T-shirt more than I ever have so it is about his opinions, his choice.

“Possibly things can be done behind the scenes but it is difficult enough to pick my team never mind anyone else’s and we all have individual issues within any squad or any team so I’m inclined to keep well out of it.

“If I was asked by Andy or Mr Trapattoni, I would give my opinion and my advice but I do believe there has to be an apology because I think that’s what’s behind this.”

Reid has not played any international football since Trapattoni succeeded Steve Staunton as Ireland manager and has not featured in a squad since the games away to Georgia (Mainz) and Montenegro last year.

In addition to the disagreement over a curfew they apparently had in Germany, the manager has also hinted on a number of occasions that he does not believe the midfielder was injured when he cried off the training camp in Portugal shortly after the Italian started in the job.

THE SEEDINGSfor Monday's World Cup play-off draw will be precisely as expected in the wake of yesterday's new Fifa ranking list. Although there was a fair bit of movement within the list over the past month and the order of the higher-ranked four nations did change, none of the unseeded sides climbed enough to displace one of the top four.

France, Russia, Portugal and Greece will, as expected, be seeded when the draw takes place at lunchtime on Monday while Ukraine, the Republic of Ireland, Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as Slovenia will not.

SELECTED RANKINGS1, Brazil; 2, Spain; 3, Netherlands; 4, Italy; 7, England (all unchanged); 9, France (up 1); 10, Portugal (up 7); 12, Russia (down 6); 16, Greece; 22, Ukraine (up 3); 30, Northern Ireland (up 1); 34, Republic of Ireland (up 4); 42, Bosnia Herzegovina (up four); 49, Slovenia (up 5).