Soccer:Save for the omission of Paddy Kenny, there weren't too many talking points this afternoon when Giovanni Trapattoni announced his squad for next week's Euro 2012 qualifier against Macedonia and the subsequent friendly with Uruguay.
In naming an extended 29-man panel, Trapattoni avoided any whiff of controversy with the QPR goalkeeper the only person who could consider himself in any way hard done by.
Even so, the absence of Shay Given through injury notwithstanding, the decision to overlook Kenny could hardly be considered earth shattering. The former Sheffield United custodian, with just seven caps to his name, has not played for Ireland since the 5-2 drubbing at the hands of Cyprus in 2006.
Having served a nine-month doping ban in 2009, the 32-year-old has impressed since being reunited with Neil Warnock at Loftus Road but has failed to make the slightest impression on Trapattoni’s radar.
With Coventry’s Keiren Westwood certain to be entrusted with the starting role, the Italian will rely on Milwall’s David Forde and Darren Randolph of Motherwell to provide back-up.
“We have trust in Westwood,” said at today’s squad announcement. “He has played friendlies in the past and has shown us he is ready (to play at this level).”
After making some unwanted headlines over the weekend, Richard Dunne has been named in the squad for the time being at least. Dunne is currently continuing his rehabilitation from a shoulder problem and a question mark remains over the Aston Villa defender’s availability.
“We have to check on a few players to see if they are injured,” Trapattoni added. “He (Dunne) says he feels good and I hope he will be ready.”
After managing 22 minutes for West Ham yesterday, Robbie Keane returns to captain the side while suggestions that James McCarthy might be preparing to ‘defect’ back to his native Scotland appear to have been wide of the mark with the Wigan midfielder also included.
Trapattoni travelled to England to sit down with the youngster last week and, questioned how that meeting progressed, he explained: “He had a smile on his face and he told me he wanted to stay. I told him ‘thank you very much, on behalf of your country, thank you’”.
The Italian was also keen to dispel the notion that he is unwilling to meet with potential Irish players, pointing to a fruitless trip to see Jamie O’Hara when he was with Portsmouth.
“Two or three years ago I went with Liam Brady and met O’Hara,” he said. “These things don’t usually make the news but they happen in the background. He was at Portsmouth and I went into the dressing room but at the time he hadn’t made a decision.”
Ireland squad:Keiren Westwood (Coventry City), Darren Randolph (Motherwell), David Forde (Milwall); Kevin Foley (Wolves), John O'Shea (Manchester United), Ciaran Clark (Aston Villa), Seamus Coleman (Everton), Richard Dunne (Aston Villa), Sean St. Ledger (Preston North End), Stephen Kelly (Fulham), Darren O'Dea (Celtic), Kevin Kilbane (Huddersfield Town); Marc Wilson (Stoke City), Darron Gibson (Manchester United), Glenn Whelan (Stoke City), Paul Green (Derby County), Liam Lawrence (Portsmouth), James McCarthy (Wigan), Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow), Keith Treacy (Preston North End), Keith Andrews (Blackburn), Keith Fahey (Birmingham City), Damien Duff (Fulham); Robbie Keane (West Ham), Jonathan Walters (Stoke City), Kevin Doyle (Wolves), Shane Long (Reading), Leon Best (Newcastle), Andy Keogh (Bristol City)
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