SOCCER:Republic of Ireland manager Steve Staunton yesterday named a 25-man squad for next month's Euro 2008 qualifying games in Slovakia (September 8th) and the Czech Republic (September 12th), with Shay Given, Paul McShane, Lee Carsley, Stephen Ireland and Jonathon Douglas included after missing last week's 4-0 win in Denmark. Darron Gibson, who made his senior Irish debut in Aarhus, retains his place in the squad.
Apart from the loss through injury of Newcastle pair Damien Duff and Stephen Carr, Staunton, who also mentioned the injured trio of Steven Reid, Joey O'Brien and Stephen Elliott as his notable absentees, described the selection as "probably the strongest I've been able to pick so far".
There were no major surprises, with Clinton Morrison and Liam Miller amongst those again overlooked, although with four goals in as many games for Ipswich so far this season Alan Lee might have been hopeful of inclusion.
Carr picked up a hamstring injury against Middlesbrough last weekend and although he wasn't due to have a scan until yesterday he told Staunton "he's more or less ruled himself out". His place in the squad has gone to the uncapped Kevin Foley, who joined Wolves from Luton Town this summer.
Given, who hasn't played for his club since limping out of a pre-season friendly against Sampdoria with a groin injury, is hopeful of being fit for the two games. "He was on the bench for Newcastle at the weekend so, presumably, if Steve Harper (Given's understudy) had to come off he'd have been okay to take his place.
"Naming four 'keepers . . . is just about seeing what happens. I've named 25 in all, which I haven't done before, but we have a few players with knocks, they still have two games before they join me, and we also have a number of players on yellow cards going in to the Slovakia game, so we have to be careful."
If Staunton was keen to counter the level of criticism directed at him and his players after the away qualifying games in Cyprus and San Marino he seemed equally determined yesterday not to overplay the significance of the victory in Denmark.
"I haven't been getting carried away because I thought the first 15, 20 minutes we were very fortunate," he said. "There was some lazy close-down play. If we have that same performance the first 15, 20 minutes in Bratislava or Prague we will get punished. But that's not taking away from what happened afterwards, the players produced some good football."
He did praise the performance of Gibson, but was reluctant to agree with the suggestion it would be better for the young midfielder if he went out on loan, when he isn't getting any first team football at Manchester United. "If you want to start a war of words with Alex Ferguson work away, nothing to do with me," he said.
Staunton confirmed he would be without two of his staff in Bratislava and Prague, Bobby Robson, who was diagnosed with cancer for the fifth time earlier this year, and goalkeeping coach Alan Kelly, who is still recovering from knee surgery.
When asked about the recent spat between under-21 coach Don Givens and Sunderland's Anthony Stokes, Staunton sent a pointed message to the player. "I think Anthony Stokes now needs to be in the papers for the right reasons - he needs to start making headlines for his footballing ability, and nothing else. He needs to get his head down and start working hard again."
On being reminded of Stokes' age (19) and being asked if it was not natural for teenagers to make mistakes, Staunton said: "He seems to keep making them . . . But I think it's been resolved. I think Don has handled himself superbly. There's been a mix-up obviously from the Sunderland end which has all been clarified, but Anthony should have rung Don, regardless of whether his club made contact. But it's resolved . . . it won't be held against him."
