TONY CASCARINO expects to be able to reassure Mick McCarthy about his fitness, by returning to action for his French club, AS Nancy this evening.
After missing last Saturday's 1-1 draw with Bordeaux because of a hamstring problem, the Ireland forward is required to undergo a late test for this evening's game against his old club, Marseille.
And hinging on the outcome, may be his chances of securing a club clearance to join his Ireland team-mates in Dublin on Friday, at the start of their build up to next Wednesday's World Cup assignment in Macedonia.
Cascarino was still under treatment yesterday but reported that the injury is now reacting positively to treatment.
"I have just spoken with Tony by telephone and he seemed a lot happier about his situation than when I was last in touch with him," said McCarthy. "It is still not certain that he will play in the club game but the signs are looking good for him.
On the question of whether the player will be released to travel to Dublin, even if he is deemed unfit for the Marseille game, McCarthy was equally upbeat.
"Frankly, I don't see why not. There is still a week to go to our game and even if he struggles for the club's match, he may well have recovered in time to play in Macedonia.
"After talking with him today I don't expect it to come to that. He's an experienced player who has been through this kind of problem in the past and he knows exactly, what is involved."
The advantages of having a fit Cascarino in the team would be two fold for the Irish manager as he prepares to embark on the most difficult part of his qualifying programme, first in Skopje and then, at the end of the month, against Romania in Bucharest.
Not only would it continue to disguise the loss of Niall Quinn, but it would preserve the psychological advantage which the French-based striker gained by scoring twice against the Macedonians at Lansdowne Road last October.
Alan Moore, another player whose fitness had been a cause of some concern to McCarthy, suffered no reaction to a recent knock when figuring in the Middlesbrough team which drew 1-1 with Nottingham Forest on Monday.
Moore has yet to start a competitive international but in view of the dwindling front line options available to the manager, he may never have a better chance of redressing that omission.
Among those excluded from the original squad because of injury was Keith O'Neill of Norwich City but depending on how he makes out against Swindon Town on Saturday, he may yet enter into the reckoning for a place in the travelling party.
O'Neill returned to action against Bolton last Saturday. McCarthy, who watched him play, is reserving his judgment until receives reports of his progress against Swindon.
