Three uncapped players in Irish squad

GRADUALLY, slowly but perceptibly Mick McCarthy is instigating something of a coup. His initial squad as Republic of Ireland manager for last month's friendly against Russia may have been a statement of faith in the old guard but his second squad, for Wednesday week's friendly away to the Czech Republic, incorporates three newcomers, amongst them a couple of uncapped 20 year olds.

In comes the Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Farrelly and the Norwich striker Keith O'Neill. Both of them have been promoted from last month's under 21 squad which, true to his word, McCarthy said he would use as a breeding ground.

In addition to his one time Millwall protege, the retained 19 year old Mark Kennedy, also included is another of McCarthy's Irish contingent from the Den, 24 year old fullback Kenny Cunningham.

Back in Whitehall, various members of the Home Farm coaching staff are sitting proudly, for Farrelly, O'Neill and Cunningham all began their careers in the country's most famous footballing academy, although in Cunningham's case he went on to play for Tolka Rovers.

Just as eyebrow raising is the omission of six regulars from the Charlton era who had been retained for last month's squad, in addition to Roy Keane, whom the Executive Committee of the FAI suspended for one game in light of his dismissal against Russia.

The half dozen dropped are John Sheridan, Alan Kernaghan, Tommy Coyne, Eddie McGoldrick, Mike Milligan and Chris Morris. The latter is currently being kept out of the Middlesbrough team by a reputedly inspired Curtis Fleming who, alas, has not yet been as fortunate as the equally deserving Cunningham.

Nevertheless, in another break with recent tradition, McCarthy endeavoured to contact all of the above personally to notify them of their exclusion and with the exception of Kernaghan was able to do so.

"Nobody is out of the picture completely. The situation is that we just can't take everyone with us. There'll be other games for the other lads," McCarthy commented reassuringly yesterday.

However, it is the sudden infusion of youth, as much as the alteration in the team's playing system to 3-5 which is the most striking change in emphasis under McCarthy. Given his increasing conservatism and apparent mistrust of younger players, it's unthinkable that Jack Charlton would have afforded so many young players an opportunity. That a younger manager should he inclined to do so is the same the world over.

By the time the opening World Cup qualifier comes around against Liechtenstein on August 31st, the team may yet look radically different from the one which was held there to a scoreless draw in the nadir of Charlton's reign at the end of last season. Compared to Charlton's final squad for the play off against Holland, McCarthy has reduced the average age of the squad from just under 29 to just over 27 already.

Of his three newcomers, McCarthy intimated that he was more likely to play Cunningham than O'Neill or Farrelly. "I might use him as one of my three central defenders for this match. He's played there for me at Millwall.

"Keith O'Neill and Gareth Farrelly did exceptionally well for the under-21s and if you're going to start blooding a couple of youngsters I think it's important that they travel with the first team just to get the feeling of it."

O'Neill, according to Liam Tuohy, was "one of those young players you'd have bet your house on to make it." Norwich took O'Neill over from Dublin when he was 15 and persevered with him despite acute growing problems which effectively sidelined the youngster for a year. To the amazement of all who knew him, O'Neill has grown into a strapping six footer.

Quick and skillful, with a liking for taking people on, O'Neill has blossomed this season and several judges have described him as the best young talent in the First Division.

Farrelly, an inventive 6' 1" left sided midfielder with a keen eye for a telling through ball and not one to shirk from a tackle, has broken into the Aston Villa team sporadically and perhaps prophetically he made his Premiership debut when coming on as substitute for Andy Townsend. He was also in Villa's 16 man squad for the League Cup final.

In a sense, McCarthy's hand is being forced with regard to his experimentation with graduates from the under 21 squad for he confirmed yesterday that neither Chris Armstrong nor the German based South African born striker Sean Dundee are eligible to play for the Republic of Ireland.

In both cases their ancestry dates back to great grandparents.