EURO 2004 QUALIFIERS/Group Ten news: Russia coach Valery Gazzayev has confirmed his policy of favouring the country's younger stars by naming 13 players with eight caps or fewer in his squad of 24 for next weekend's European Championship qualifying game against the Republic of Ireland.

The panel is dominated by locally-based players, with 16 drawn from Moscow clubs, including eight from the national team coach's club, CSKA. There are, however, a number of more-established names, including Viktor Onopko, who is likely to earn his 102nd cap against the Republic.

"He is very experienced," said Gazzayev of the defender who this week signed a one-year loan deal with Spanish first division club Rayo Vallecano after a spell with Real Oviedo. "He has done a lot for this side and it seems to me that Onopko will still be useful for us."

Absent again, though, are Alexander Mostovoi and Valery Karpin, who the new coach dispensed with for the recent friendly game against Sweden and are now seen as surplus to requirements. Injuries have deprived Russia of team captain Igor Titov, as well as teenager Marat Izmailov, while Dmitri Sytchev is omitted due to a lack of match fitness following his walking out on Spartak Moscow recently.

Mick McCarthy, meanwhile, is due to name his squad this morning when most interest will focus on the defenders included for the opening game of the campaign. Andy O'Brien is expected to return to the squad after missing the Helsinki game due to a shin injury.

However, the Ireland manager appears to face a choice between Phil Babb, who he attempted to call into his squad two weeks ago, and John O'Shea, who may be left with the under-21s again despite having had a run in the Manchester United team during the the last few weeks.

GOALKEEPERS: R Nigmatullin (CSKA Moscow), S Ovchinnikov (Loko. Moscow); DEFENDERS: V Onopko (Rayo Vallecano), Y Kovtun (Spartak Moscow), V Dayev, D Yevsikov (both CSKA Moscow), S Ignashevich, G Nizhegorodov (both Loko. Moscow); MIDFIELDERS: S Semak, R Gusev, I Yanovsky, A Solomatin (all CSKA Moscow), A Smertin (Girondins Bordeaux), D Khokhlov (Real Sociedad), D Loskov (Loko. Moscow), A Karayka (Krylya Sovietov Samara), I Semshov (Torpedo Moscow), A Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg), Y Aldonin (Rotor Volgograd); FORWARDS: V Beschastnykh (Spartak Moscow), A Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg), R Pimenov (Lokomotiv Moscow), D Popov (CSKA Moscow), D Laktionov (Samsung Suvong, South Korea).