REPUBLIC OF IRELAND TEAM NEWS:GIOVANNI TRAPATTONI is set to be without another of his key players for the European Championship qualifier against Macedonia later this month after it was revealed by Aston Villa boss Gerard Houllier yesterday that Richard Dunne has dislocated his shoulder.
The Dubliner apparently sustained the injury in Wednesday night’s English FA Cup game against Manchester City and played on for quite some time afterwards before eventually being replaced with seven minutes to go in the game which Villa, fielding a significantly weakened side, lost 3-0.
Houllier was relatively upbeat about the situation, suggesting Dunne would most likely be fit again by the time Villa take on Everton at Goodison Park on April 2nd and observing that such a lay off would not involve the defender missing too many club games.
“Unfortunately, we’re going to lose Richard for three to four weeks with a shoulder problem,” he said. “The good thing is, we haven’t got many games during that period.”
The reason for that, of course, is the international break during which Ireland also have two games, the first of them that competitive tie against Macedonia in Dublin, the second three days later a friendly against World Cup semi-finalists Uruguay.
Barring a dramatic response by Dunne to treatment on the shoulder, the 31-year-old is almost certainly out of the games, something that would most likely leave Trapattoni without a third member of his team’s experienced spine.
As things stand, Robbie Keane is also expected back around the start of next month, with the West Ham striker undergoing intensive treatment over the last couple of weeks for a calf strain he picked up shortly after signing for the Upton Park outfit from Tottenham.
Both Villa and West Ham are battling against relegation and in the circumstances the Irishmen would almost certainly have to be fit to play in their respective clubs’ Premier League games before the international break in order to be allowed return to Dublin without a good deal of friction being caused.
Villa play Wolves on Saturday the 19th while Keane, one suspects, would need no encouragement to make it on to the bus for West Ham’s visit to White Hart Lane the same afternoon.
In both instances Trapattoni has options, with Shane Long’s form at Reading providing a strong case for having him partner Kevin Doyle in attack, while both Jonathan Walters and Leon Best could also feature if required.
At the back, there are a number of possibilities with the likes of Paul McShane or Stephen Kelly potentially taking over at right back to allow John O’Shea move into the centre, while Darren O’Dea would have an outside chance of starting in the centre but another possibility would be to start Ciarán Clark in what is his preferred location at that heart of the defence.
Clark played there for Villa this week, partnering Dunne during the City game and the player is generally regarded as looking more comfortable there than at left back, the position in which he won his first senior international cap for Ireland against Wales.
Trapattoni was clearly happy with Clark’s performance in that game and may even be confident enough in the newcomer’s ability to slot him in alongside Sean St Ledger but such a move would clearly represent a gamble in a game Ireland need to win.
In the circumstances, the Italian could be forgiven for wishing he had the option of calling upon Steve Carr, even on a short term basis, as the Birmingham defender showed last week against Arsenal he can still cope very well at the top level and his presence would make switching O’Shea inside seem a far less risky move.
