Staunton has key options

With next to no injuries to worry about this week, and a little water under the bridge since last month's let-off in San Marino, Steve Staunton might be forgiven for having expected a quiet build-up to tomorrow's European Championship qualifier against Wales in Croke Park.

Like idle hands, though, blank pages tend to serve as the devil's workshop and if Roy Keane's broadside at Staunton's senior players on Wednesday wasn't quite enough to put the Ireland manager under pressure from the mid-morning media scrum, his own suggestion that the press were behaving towards him in a way that might have been more reasonably expected in "Russia 50 years ago", had certainly provided those who made the trip out to Malahide with a question or two.

Whatever about the journalists who have covered the first year of his spell in charge of the national team, Staunton's predecessors might contest his claim that "expectations have gone through the roof," while the growing list of former internationals, who have suggested he should perhaps make way for somebody else, could take issue with his assertion that "anybody with any sort of knowledge of the game knows what we're at, but all of a sudden the transition period is supposed to happen overnight".

The interview, in which he also claimed media reports that he and the team were booed off in San Marino were merely part of a campaign of "propaganda" war being waged against him, provided the Sun with its front-page lead under a headline inspired by one of his less contentious claims in the piece that followed: "I didn't murder anyone."

His comments were made in England two weeks ago and when his criticism of the lack of respect afforded to Bobby Robson on RTE's Liveline programme on the day after the San Marino game was raised, he sought to dismiss the matter entirely by observing that "that was six weeks ago and we've moved on".

He was similarly determined to brush aside Keane's rather contemptuous assessment of players like Robbie Keane, Shay Given and John O'Shea. "Roy has got his own opinions, that's his opinion," remarked the Louthman. "I have to deal with Ireland, the boys that are here. Roy's done a wonderful job at Sunderland," he continued rather coolly. "He picks his team, I've got my team here and I'll pick my team."

Pressed on the subject he added with an air of finality: "It's not about Roy Keane, it's about Ireland playing in a qualifying game for the European Championships."

As it happens, things are shaping up about as well as Staunton could have hoped. Stephen Ireland and Paul McShane came through training yesterday without encountering any obvious difficulties with the ankle injuries they had been carrying since the weekend.

Barring any subsequent reactions the pair should now be available for selection leaving Staunton with a number of options in key areas of the pitch. Although the manager insists he knows his preferred line-up it's possible he will name his side at today's pre-match press conference which is due to take place back at Croke Park around noon.

Robson's highly positive assessment of Ian Harte's performance in training over the past few days suggests that the Levante left back is likely to retain his place so the main positions to be filled are central defence, central midfield and wide on either the right or left depending on which side Damien Duff starts. With Lee Carsley expected to retain his place and John O'Shea unlikely to partner the Everton player in central midfield it seems entirely plausible that Staunton could go for the same back four that started at the Serravalle Stadium with McShane omitted.

If Ireland, who had a much better night than most in San Marino, starts alongside Carsley then the only other place remotely up for grabs will be the one belonging to the Republic's other goalscorer from last month, Kevin Kilbane.

Supporters of Stephen Hunt and Aiden McGeady could make decent cases for their men to displace the 30-year-old whose erratic form this season has meant he has had to settle for a place on the bench most weeks recently at Wigan. His run of 41 consecutive competitive internationals makes him a particularly difficult man to write off when it comes to Irish team selections.

If he does start then it most likely means that Staunton settles for just two changes to last month's team with both Kevin Doyle and Shay Given returning from injury. Given how poor the side was then, it's a level of loyalty that is sure to leave Roy Keane feeling amply vindicated.

A limited number of tickets for Wednesday's game against Slovakia will go on sale this morning from 11am to 5pm at FAI headquarters.