Soccer:Republic of Ireland defender Richard Dunne has told international manager Giovanni Trapattoni that he will be available for the upcoming World Cup qualification campaign once he has overcome a groin injury.
The Football Association of Ireland confirmed this afternoon that Trapattoni and assistant manager Marco Tardelli held “a positive meeting” with the 32-year-old player ahead of Aston Villa’s Premier League clash at home to Everton, with Dunne reconfirming his availability for international selection.
The new will come a huge boost to the Irish management team, who have seen goalkeeper Shay Given and midfielder Damien Duff retire from the international game since the end of the European Championships.
Duff, who opened the scoring for Fulham in their Premier League match against Manchester United at Old Trafford today, called time on his 100-cap career yesterday, while Given was the first of the veteran players to call time on his international career.
Dunne has proved a talisman for Ireland teams during his time in the green jersey and Trapattoni has always valued the strength of the Tallaght man’s character as much as his footballing ability.
Dunne is expected to return in time for the vital home clash against Germany on October 12th.
Speaking yesterday at the announcement of his squad for the opening trip away to Kazakhstan, Trapattoni said: “He [Dunne] said to me that Kazakhstan would be too soon for him but that maybe for Germany he could return. But the latest news is that he might move club and if he does that there is a new manager, new players, a new situation, it could be a problem.”
Dunne has been linked with a move out of Villa as new manager Paul Lambert attempts to trim the wage bill, but the Scot has sought to dampen the expectation that a deal is imminent.
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