JACK GREALISH HAS not been named in the provisional Ireland squad to face Scotland and the USA.
Martin O’Neill named a 36-man squad this afternoon for the Euro 2016 qualifier in Glasgow (14 November) and the friendly against America in Dublin four days later.
Brian Lenihan is retained following his involvement with the senior squad earlier this month but the Hull City defender is the only uncapped player, with no sign of Grealish despite speculation that the teen was set for his first call-up.
“I had a conversation with his father sometime ago,” said O’Neill. “He was just breaking into the Aston Villa side at the time and wanted some time to think about it. I didn’t put any pressure on but did suggest to his father that he might want to get involved in the Oman game while still not having to commit himself.
“His father nicely sent me back a message to say no, that he would concentrate on the U21s at that time. I’ve left it since then and have had no conversations since and really that’s where it remains. I would like him if that’s the case but I’m not going to force it.
“I’m going to leave it. There seems to be a lot of things going backwards and forwards that I’m not always aware of but that’s where it stands at the moment.”
There has been considerable attention paid to the 19-year-old, who is also being monitored by England U21 boss Gareth Southgate, at club and international level in recent months but O’Neill doesn’t believe that it is simply media hype.
“There is no doubt that the little bits that I have seen from Jack that he has got a lot of talent,” he added. “He looks as if he has got stronger from the first time I saw him playing for Notts County against Brentford when he came on as a substitute having been sent out on loan.
“He has definitely got talent. I think Paul Lambert said recently that he has got lots to do yet and sometimes I think there is pressure then for a young lad to go and solve the problems that might be there at club level. It might not be necessarily the answer for the player in a long-term basis.
Sometimes people can get a wee bit carried away over things but he has definitely got talent and he is worth talking about.
“Of course I’d like to, as I did, have conversations with the player and his father but I’m not really there to go and turn around around and force someone into a decision that they might not fancy let’s say somewhere down the line. I’d rather it to come from those people because that’s the best way for it to be.
“That’s why when I was asked the question there, I’m not going to force it. It would be to hear him say ‘yeah, this is what I want to do’ because eventually that would sit better with everyone.”
Glenn Whelan is a surprise inclusion. The Stoke midfielder was expected to miss the games while he recovers from a fractured leg, and while he is still a significant doubt, O’Neill will give him every possible opportunity to prove his fitness.
“Glenn’s in the squad at this moment,” he explained. “Initially I thought he was going to be out for sometime and I spoke to him a couple of days ago and while he is obviously still struggling a little bit the injury itself is actually clearing up and he’s giving himself every possible chance.
“Even if I hadn’t included him in the squad and he had felt good in the next 10-12 days and thought he was capable of playing I would have re-instated him but I might as well put him in at the minute because he hasn’t ruled himself out.”
Everton duo Seamus Coleman and James McCarthy return having missed the double-header against Gibraltar and Germany but Norwich playmaker Wes Hoolahan is ruled out with an ankle ligament injury.
“I’m hoping by the time that we get around to playing Scotland that they (Coleman McCarthy) are still both available. I went to Burnley and watched the two of them play and they played very well in the game. I’m hoping that those injuries are behind them. You say that and something crops up again but it’s nice to see them back playing.
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“Wes is definitely out and that is obviously a blow. He is going to be missing for anything between 8-12 weeks. I was speaking to him and he is devastated for both club and country.”
O’Neill will trim the squad before it meets up on 10 November.
No Jack Grealish as O'Neill names Ireland squad for Scotland and US
Updated at 17.45
JACK GREALISH HAS not been named in the provisional Ireland squad to face Scotland and the USA.
Martin O’Neill named a 36-man squad this afternoon for the Euro 2016 qualifier in Glasgow (14 November) and the friendly against America in Dublin four days later.
Brian Lenihan is retained following his involvement with the senior squad earlier this month but the Hull City defender is the only uncapped player, with no sign of Grealish despite speculation that the teen was set for his first call-up.
“I had a conversation with his father sometime ago,” said O’Neill. “He was just breaking into the Aston Villa side at the time and wanted some time to think about it. I didn’t put any pressure on but did suggest to his father that he might want to get involved in the Oman game while still not having to commit himself.
“His father nicely sent me back a message to say no, that he would concentrate on the U21s at that time. I’ve left it since then and have had no conversations since and really that’s where it remains. I would like him if that’s the case but I’m not going to force it.
“I’m going to leave it. There seems to be a lot of things going backwards and forwards that I’m not always aware of but that’s where it stands at the moment.”
There has been considerable attention paid to the 19-year-old, who is also being monitored by England U21 boss Gareth Southgate, at club and international level in recent months but O’Neill doesn’t believe that it is simply media hype.
“There is no doubt that the little bits that I have seen from Jack that he has got a lot of talent,” he added. “He looks as if he has got stronger from the first time I saw him playing for Notts County against Brentford when he came on as a substitute having been sent out on loan.
“He has definitely got talent. I think Paul Lambert said recently that he has got lots to do yet and sometimes I think there is pressure then for a young lad to go and solve the problems that might be there at club level. It might not be necessarily the answer for the player in a long-term basis.
“Of course I’d like to, as I did, have conversations with the player and his father but I’m not really there to go and turn around around and force someone into a decision that they might not fancy let’s say somewhere down the line. I’d rather it to come from those people because that’s the best way for it to be.
“That’s why when I was asked the question there, I’m not going to force it. It would be to hear him say ‘yeah, this is what I want to do’ because eventually that would sit better with everyone.”
Glenn Whelan is a surprise inclusion. The Stoke midfielder was expected to miss the games while he recovers from a fractured leg, and while he is still a significant doubt, O’Neill will give him every possible opportunity to prove his fitness.
“Glenn’s in the squad at this moment,” he explained. “Initially I thought he was going to be out for sometime and I spoke to him a couple of days ago and while he is obviously still struggling a little bit the injury itself is actually clearing up and he’s giving himself every possible chance.
“Even if I hadn’t included him in the squad and he had felt good in the next 10-12 days and thought he was capable of playing I would have re-instated him but I might as well put him in at the minute because he hasn’t ruled himself out.”
Everton duo Seamus Coleman and James McCarthy return having missed the double-header against Gibraltar and Germany but Norwich playmaker Wes Hoolahan is ruled out with an ankle ligament injury.
“I’m hoping by the time that we get around to playing Scotland that they (Coleman McCarthy) are still both available. I went to Burnley and watched the two of them play and they played very well in the game. I’m hoping that those injuries are behind them. You say that and something crops up again but it’s nice to see them back playing.
“Wes is definitely out and that is obviously a blow. He is going to be missing for anything between 8-12 weeks. I was speaking to him and he is devastated for both club and country.”
O’Neill will trim the squad before it meets up on 10 November.
Republic of Ireland provisional squad
David Forde (Millwall)
Shay Given (Aston Villa)
Keiren Westwood (Sheffield Wednesday)
Darren Randolph (Birmingham City)
Rob Elliot (Newcastle United)
Richard Keogh (Derby County)
Marc Wilson (Stoke City)
Seamus Coleman (Everton)
John O’Shea (Sunderland)
Alex Pearce (Reading)
Brian Lenihan (Hull City)
Stephen Kelly (Reading)
Paul McShane (Hull City)
Damien Delaney (Crystal Palace)
Shane Duffy (Blackburn)
James McCarthy (Everton)
Jeff Hendrick (Derby County)
Ciaran Clark (Aston Villa)
Stephen Ward (Burnley)
Glenn Whelan (Stoke City)
Darron Gibson (Everton)
Paul Green (Rotherham United)
Aiden McGeady (Everton)
Anthony Pilkington (Cardiff City)
James McClean (Wigan Athletic)
Robbie Brady (Hull City)
Stephen Quinn (Hull City)
David Meyler (Hull City)
Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy)
Shane Long (Southampton)
Daryl Murphy (Ipswich Town)
Jon Walters (Stoke City)
Kevin Doyle (Crystal Palace)
Anthony Stokes (Celtic)
Simon Cox (Reading)
Conor Sammon (Ipswich Town)
Additional reporting by Ben Blake
‘Jack Grealish is the best attacking prospect I’ve seen since Robbie and Damien’ – Brian Kerr
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