SOCCER:THERE ARE unlikely to be any surprises from Giovanni Trapattoni when he names his Republic of Ireland squad for next month's World Cup qualifying play-off against France at 3pm today, but the Italian may be forced into some housekeeping over the coming fortnight if things don't go his way.
The news that Noel Hunt is expected to be out for the season after undergoing knee surgery is a massive blow for the striker, whose participation in South Africa should Ireland qualify is now in serious doubt, but it is a setback Trapattoni could have coped with were it not for the uncertainty surrounding fellow back-up strikers Caleb Folan and Leon Best.
Folan suffered a hamstring injury at the start of the month and was expected at the time to be out for six weeks. Little has changed in that regard meaning it will be a close call for the Middlesbrough striker, but Best is confident he is over the worst of a knee injury suffered at Cardiff and is hopeful of playing against Reading this weekend.
The doubt over the striking options has cast a shadow somewhat over an announcement that is likely to see the return of long-term absentees Steve Finnan and Steven Reid. Reid was named in the initial 29-man squad to face Italy and Montenegro earlier this month, but never actually made the journey to Dublin after suffering an Achilles injury.
A goalscoring return in 70 minutes of League Cup football for Blackburn Rovers against Peterborough on Tuesday night indicated he is over that particular niggle, though Trapattoni’s concern over the knee injury that denied him the services of Reid throughout the campaign suggests he won’t risk starting him – in Dublin, at least.
The central midfielder will effectively be a straight swap for Martin Rowlands – who injured his knee in the 0-0 draw with Montenegro – and is likely to push Liam Miller and Darron Gibson further down the order. The latter also pulled out of the last squad after suffering a groin injury and a recurrence forced him to duck duty at the last minute when preparing to line out for Manchester United against Barnsley this week.
Finnan’s return could be of more immediate benefit given his experience in comparison to Paul McShane and Stephen Kelly, while he would also offer an alternative to Kevin Kilbane at left-back or free up John O’Shea for the role.
The Portsmouth defender has featured three times for his club in recent weeks and emerged unscathed and by the time the first leg rolls around on November 14th he and Reid will hopefully have played some part in another two competitive games.
Similarly the hope will be Best and Folan can do the same, but if not Trapattoni has some changes to make. Their misfortune could reopen the door for Reading’s Shane Long who has yet to feature in this campaign.
Andy Keogh is sure to be named today and while he usually does a job for Ireland in midfield, his week-to-week work with Wolves is up front alongside Kevin Doyle.
The Italian will also be keeping a close eye on reserve goalkeeper Keiren Westwood, who came off as a “precaution” nine minutes into Coventry City’s scoreless draw with West Bromwich Albion last weekend with a back injury.
Trapattoni will not know exactly who he is preparing his side to face until Raymond Domenech names his squad on Thursday next, but no doubt the predictable Italian will be hoping the next fortnight is kinder to him than it is to the Frenchman.
In that regard, he could do with Thierry Henry continuing to struggle with his recovery from a hamstring injury. The Barcelona striker is unlikely to feature against Osasuna tomorrow, while Domenech is without Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery.
