GIOVANNI TRAPATTONI ROLLED the dice on the fitness of Robbie Keane and Shane Long this morning, including the injured pair as two of just five strikers in his squad for the Euro 2012 playoffs.
Anthony Stokes and Leon Best both miss out on the 26-man panel but could yet see themselves included if Long fails to recover in time.
Darron Gibson and Paul McShane are recalled after sitting out the final qualifiers against Armenia and Andorra.
“There is no room for complacency as we prepare for our two games next month,” Trapattoni said. “We will remember that Estonia have as much right to be in the playoffs as ourselves.”
These games will be a huge challenge for us, and we must maintain the correct mentality from start to finish.
The playoff first leg will take place in Tallinn’s A. Le Coq Arena on 11 November with the return fixture in Dublin four days later.
Ireland squad: Shay Given, Keiren Westwood, David Forde; John O’Shea, Stephen Kelly, Stephen Ward, Richard Dunne, Sean St. Ledger, Darren O’Dea, Paul McShane; Glenn Whelan, James McCarthy, Seamus Coleman, Keith Andrews, Keith Fahey, Darron Gibson, Andy Keogh, Damien Duff, Aiden McGeady, Stephen Hunt, Liam Lawrence; Robbie Keane, Kevin Doyle, Shane Long, Simon Cox, Jon Walters.
More to follow.
so he has included 2 injured and 1 suspended striker in the squad rather than mend the bridges between himself and 2 strikers in decent form for their clubs. give the aul goat the bullet after euro12 (if we make it!!)
Stokes is rubbish, he plays in a rubbish league with a poor team
does he watch the premiership? wes houlihan from norwich has been by far the best irish player this season
If he wasn’t picking Andy Reid he won’t pick Wes. Trap must ensure that Ireland’s midfield remains a skill-free zone. They’re bypassed most of the time by long balls anyway.
McShane……….???????????/ Are we that stuck???
Is Kevin Doyle a typo ? He is suspended after all.
Doyle is only suspended for the first leg, Collie.
He will train with squad to get him up to speed for the second match. Long ball footie needs alot of practice u know
Why all the negativity? Well done trap. We’re going to qualify for the euros for the first time since 1988. All these negative comments are mystifying. We’re punching above our weight and getting the results! Go to a rugby game in the aviva and virtually every comment heard is constructive and made by someone who knows what’s going on out on the field. Go to a soccer match and it’s all mindless negative abuse (aimed at every manager we’ve ever had). We’ll be at euro 2012 and about 40 other teams won’t be! Enjoy it ;)
Why couldn’t it have been Best and Walters up front? The two in form Irish strikers playing with sides in the top half of the PL table…absolute joke, Walters probably will get a few minutes in the first leg and ignored for the second
hi
It looks like we will have ten behind the ball with an unfit player up front
good ,orning
Wes houlihan has been outstanding for Norwich this season what’s going on he should be straight into the team
Leon Best should be there