FORMER IRELAND INTERNATIONAL Jason McAteer believes there are English-born players available to Martin O’Neill who would improve the current squad.
There were no new faces when O’Neill named a familiar-looking side for last week’s 2-1 friendly defeat to Serbia and with no fixtures for two months, Tranmere-born McAteer, who won 52 caps for the Boys in Green, thinks the recently-appointed management team need to up the search for fresh talent.
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“I think Martin has gone on record and said he needs to go start searching for players,” McAteer told TheScore.ie.
“I don’t know if young Jon Flanagan has got Irish in him. There has been talk of it.
I think it’s a priority. There are definitely players out there that could improve the squad.
“What is great though is that you have got the likes of Roy and Martin. If you’ve got those two personalities trying to convince you, you might think ‘I’ll have a crack at this’.”
Although O’Neill and Keane have been to see dozens of games in the past few months, there has been nothing more than rumours about possible uncapped players who could be in line for call-ups.
And McAteer agrees that keeping pursuits private is the best approach.
“I don’t think he will (go public) out of respect for the players. He won’t want to put them under pressure to make the decisions and put it out there that they’ve got a decision to make,” he added.
Carlsberg gives fans the chance to JOIN THE GREATS and play at Anfield with their mates. The competition is strictly over 18′s only and runs from March 13th until the closing date of April 20th and can be won by purchasing Carlsberg in participating pubs and off licences, entering via Carlsberg Football’s Facebook page facebook.com/carlsbergfootball or listening into Newstalk during April for a further opportunity to win the prize.
Scouting 'granny-rule' players should be a priority, says McAteer
FORMER IRELAND INTERNATIONAL Jason McAteer believes there are English-born players available to Martin O’Neill who would improve the current squad.
There were no new faces when O’Neill named a familiar-looking side for last week’s 2-1 friendly defeat to Serbia and with no fixtures for two months, Tranmere-born McAteer, who won 52 caps for the Boys in Green, thinks the recently-appointed management team need to up the search for fresh talent.
“I think Martin has gone on record and said he needs to go start searching for players,” McAteer told TheScore.ie.
“I don’t know if young Jon Flanagan has got Irish in him. There has been talk of it.
“What is great though is that you have got the likes of Roy and Martin. If you’ve got those two personalities trying to convince you, you might think ‘I’ll have a crack at this’.”
Although O’Neill and Keane have been to see dozens of games in the past few months, there has been nothing more than rumours about possible uncapped players who could be in line for call-ups.
And McAteer agrees that keeping pursuits private is the best approach.
“I don’t think he will (go public) out of respect for the players. He won’t want to put them under pressure to make the decisions and put it out there that they’ve got a decision to make,” he added.
Carlsberg gives fans the chance to JOIN THE GREATS and play at Anfield with their mates. The competition is strictly over 18′s only and runs from March 13th until the closing date of April 20th and can be won by purchasing Carlsberg in participating pubs and off licences, entering via Carlsberg Football’s Facebook page facebook.com/carlsbergfootball or listening into Newstalk during April for a further opportunity to win the prize.
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COYBIG Granny Rulers Ireland Jason McAteer Martin O'Neill