Trapattoni hints at starting Hunt

GIOVANNI TRAPATTONI has given a strong hint that he will start Stephen Hunt in Ireland’s potentially decisive World Cup qualifier against Bulgaria in Sofia on Saturday.

The Reading winger endured an unhappy end to his domestic season, which saw the Championship club fall to Burnley in the play-off semi-finals, and Trapattoni suggested only last week that he had looked “tired” in his performances.

The 27-year-old was left out of the side that drew 1-1 with Nigeria in last Friday’s friendly at Craven Cottage, where Stoke City midfielder Liam Lawrence was handed an international debut, but Trapattoni confirmed he was “90 per cent” certain Hunt will be recalled, ahead of both Lawrence and Celtic’s Aiden McGeady, for the treacherous-looking trip to Sofia.

“I rested him because I saw him play two games for Reading and he was running, running, running and I thought he might be tired,” Trapattoni said. “I wanted to try out Lawrence as well so Stephen was left out against Nigeria. But, I think it’s 90 per cent that he will start against Bulgaria.”

Hunt’s was not the only notable presence in the ‘A’ side selected by Trapattoni to play a practice match against the squad’s reserves at Arsenal’s London Colney training complex yesterday.

Sean St Ledger, the Preston North End defender who also made his international bow against Nigeria last week, was selected to partner Richard Dunne, with John O’Shea, linking up with the squad for the first time since Manchester United’s Champions League final defeat to Barcelona, deployed at right-back.

Trapattoni is loath to break up the Dunne-O’Shea centre-back partnership which has proved fruitful in the current World Cup qualifiers but his limited options on the right could force his hand.

Kevin Foley withdrew from the squad yesterday to fly home to be with his wife, who is due to give birth, and Trapattoni has not been convinced by the form of Paul McShane. Stephen Kelly provides another alternative but the likeliest option is for O’Shea to play at right-back and St Ledger to be handed a first competitive start.

There were few other issues to give Trapattoni cause for concern as he prepares for a game that could all but rubber-stamp a top-two finish in Group Eight. Robbie Keane was withdrawn from yesterday’s training session after reporting inflammation under his foot, but the Tottenham striker is expected to return to action today.

Shay Given was also absent, although it is understood that was due more to Trapattoni’s eagerness to see his two back-up goalkeepers, Colin Doyle and Wayne Henderson, rather than a legacy of the niggling hip injury he reported last week.

There was a minor scare when Glenn Whelan limped out of training with strapping around his ankle but he is expected to fit.

Darron Gibson, meanwhile, has failed to recover from a groin strain and will not link up with the squad in London. Instead, Trapattoni expects the Manchester United midfielder to make his mark on the international scene “next season”.

The manager was in typically chipper mood, revelling in the balmy London weather – “This is a typical Italian day, no?” he suggested – and in the prospect of moving to the top of Group Eight with a win at the Vasil Levski stadium. “Why not? These things are possible in life,” he reflected. “After Nigeria we have showed that the team played well and is confident. We had five or six new players and they all played well.

“Every moment we try to pick new players and in the future I am sure that we will be stronger. Ten months ago, we had a smaller squad but slowly we are introducing new players. I am confident that the new players will be good for us.”

Trapattoni’s sunny mood was matched by Henderson. The Preston goalkeeper, who is likely to be named on the bench in Sofia, spent the end of the season on loan at League Two Grimsby, but even the homely delights of Blundell Park represents a blessing after his career was plunged into doubt by a slipped disc in his back in October 2007.

“Everything just came crashing down,” he said. “At the beginning it was: ‘Oh, it will be only two weeks’. Then it was three weeks and then a few months. Every deadline that was set seemed to be missed. It is demoralising every time you miss another one.

“Thank God I found a fantastic physio down in London as well as the medical staff at Preston. They got me back playing again.”