Troubles continue to mount

Euro 2008: Steve Staunton's preparations for Saturday's European Championship qualifier against Cyprus in Nicosia took another battering yesterday as the Louthman confirmed that Stephen Carr is definitely out and Kevin Doyle now looks unlikely to feature.

Carr's decision to stay in Newcastle for treatment on a hamstring problem picked up in the game against Manchester United on Sunday brings to nine the number of players Staunton is without for his second competitive match in charge. Doyle would push the list into double figures should he fail to recover from an ankle injury first sustained last Wednesday in training and then aggravated in Reading's win over West Ham on Saturday.

Such is the extent of the problem now that just eight players with experience of starting a competitive international will be aboard this afternoon's flight to Cyprus. Yesterday's call-ups for Coventry City's Jay Tabb and Kevin Foley of Luton Town, meanwhile, mean four players in the panel are uncapped at this level.

Alan Quinn, called into the travelling party only at the weekend, is among the others to miss out following the sudden death of his mother, Alice, on Monday, while Joey O'Brien, Shay Given, Ian Harte, Steven Reid, Graham Kavanagh, Andy Reid and Stephen Elliott are all ruled out by injuries.

The loss of Carr who, like Quinn, may yet join the squad ahead of the Czech game, is a considerable blow, but Staunton was not quite ready yesterday to rule Doyle out of Saturday's game.

"Kevin will travel," he said. "He is still in contention for Saturday, but, if there is any doubt at all, with the game on Wednesday, we can't afford to play him."

Just 17 players, in fact, managed to complete the entire training session yesterday at Malahide. Paddy Kenny and Clinton Morrison were obliged to skip the late afternoon practice game in which Staunton played in order to bring up the numbers.

The manager, though, insisted he expects the Sheffield United goalkeeper to be fine for the weekend, while he also listed Morrison among the options open to him up front.

"Paddy has had an ongoing problem so it was more about protecting it more than anything else than being a worry," he said. "We are not just going on the advice of the physios at Sheffield United, and our own physios. He doesn't have to do any more.

"Clinton has a tightness in the calf. It's nothing major but with Kevin a bit of a worry we didn't think it was worth taking a chance."

The Ireland manager now faces a major juggling act as he weighs up his options for Saturday. With Harte and Steve Finnan required at right back due to Carr's absence, John O'Shea or Kevin Kilbane are the most likely starters at left back, but that will leave him short in central midfield where Liam Miller, Jonathan Douglas and Stephen Ireland would all be in contention.

The absence of both Andy and Steven Reid could well open the door for Aiden McGeady on the right, while Morrison, assuming he is fit, would be the obvious replacement for Doyle if the Reading striker fails to make it.

"My biggest concern is all over the park," laughed Staunton dryly when pressed about the situation. "We have got a few injuries and we will assess everything on Friday and see where we're at."

Staunton, indeed, made little effort to conceal the extent of his concern, but despite the acute lack of experience in his squad, his limited options in central midfield and a renewed suggestion from Lee Carsley on Monday after further communication with the manager that his return to the squad could be imminent, there was still no call-up for the Everton midfielder.

"I'm not saying Lee is not in my plans but, at the moment," said Staunton, "I'm going along with the lads I have. I'm going to give them their chance. They deserve their chance. They have been in the squad since I took over.

"I am looking forward," he continued. "It would be a kick in the teeth for the lads who are in there. They have to grow up and take the bull by the horns. If they get their chance on Saturday or Wednesday it's up to them to take it."

Staunton's repeated assertions since taking over as manager at the start of the year that he is building for the future have prompted some to question whether he is giving up a little prematurely on the present.

Carsley may not be a world beater and certainly isn't one for the long term, but quite what he could have done to warrant his continued exclusion when he is the only available player playing regular Premiership football is a mystery at this stage.

Having more than once in recent weeks described the Cyprus outing as a must win game, meanwhile, Staunton was more circumspect when asked about it yesterday. "There is a long way to go, there are 11 games left," said the manager, mindful perhaps that much stronger Irish teams than the one he will be able to field on Saturday have gone to the Mediterranean island and struggled.