O'Brien loan move to Wolves unlikely

Republic of Ireland international Alan O'Brien will not be joining Mick McCarthy's Wolves on loan.

The 21-year-old attacker has been linked with a move away from Newcastle but owing to injuries at the club O'Brien is staying put for the foreseeable future.

Newcastle have already rejected one approach from Wolves this season.

"I do need to be playing more and I need more games but I'm happy at Newcastle," insists O'Brien.  "I'm learning plenty off Damien Duff, he's such a qualify player."

Manager Glenn Roeder concedes a loan move would bring on a number of his younger players like O'Brien but feels his hands are tied at the moment.

"I can't afford to let any of our younger players to move out on loan, even though some of the younger lads would benefit from such a move," he says.

"We are competing on four fronts this season and we have a few injuries at the moment.

"It's no secret we don't have the biggest squad and I don't feel I can let any of my players leave at this moment in time."

O'Brien has made two substitute appearances for Ireland under Staunton but has yet to start a senior game for his club.

He made four substitute appearances in the Premiership last season while this term he was brought off the bench late on during Newcastle's Intertoto Cup draw at home to Lillestrom during the summer.

O'Brien travels to Cyprus this lunch-time with his Republic of Ireland colleagues for Saturday's European qualifier.

Jay Tabb, meanwhile, is relishing the prospect of training alongside the senior Irish players following his call-up to the senior squad yesterday.

The Coventry City player has excelled at under-21 level and earned the call-up following Graham Kavanagh, Steven Reid and Andy Reid's enforced defections.

"It's great news for me," says the former Brentford player. "Obviously I knew I was on the standby list, but you don't actually think that you will end up being called-up.

"I know that a couple of players have unfortunately had to drop out of the squad and it will be great to be training alongside the lads again after I was involved at the end of last season.

"The two games are important for us and we will be looking to get some points on the board. The lads were unlucky to lose to Germany in the first game so it would be great to get going.

Tabb is refusing to take the call-up for granted and appreciates he is unlikely to feature either against Cyprus or the Czech Republic in Dublin this day week.

Still, he is hoping to impress Staunton during training and leave an impression.

"It's another chance for me to try and impress the manager and if I could get a taste of the action then that would be great but I'm not taking anything for granted."