WORLD CUP:HAVING RECALLED Steven Reid to the Republic of Ireland squad for the games against Italy (next Saturday) and Montenegro (Wednesday week), after a knee injury had kept him out of football for a year, Giovanni Trapattoni must now wait to see if the Achilles injury that ruled the Blackburn Rovers midfielder out of yesterday's Premier League game against Arsenal will also end his hopes of being involved in the final two group fixtures of the World Cup qualifying campaign.
Reid’s injury is not believed to be serious, his non-appearance at the Emirates yesterday due to the “niggle” he felt following a reserve team run-out against Everton last Tuesday, when he played an hour of the game, and in training later in the week.
Reid has played 120 minutes of first team football this season, in two League Cup games for the club, with manager Sam Allardyce insisting he would not rush the injury-plagued player back in to regular first-team action. Having left him out yesterday, as a precautionary measure, Allardyce is, then, unlikely to be keen on his player being risked by his country.
Reading striker Shane Long is also a doubt for Trapattoni after he missed Saturday’s Championship game against Middlesbrough with an ankle injury, while goalkeeper Joe Murphy sat out Scunthorpe’s Championship defeat to Plymouth with a “dead leg”.
As expected, neither Damien Duff (Fulham) nor Caleb Folan (Middlesbrough) appeared for their clubs at the weekend, the injured pair already ruled out of the Italy and Montenegro games, with Manchester United’s Darron Gibson the only other member of Trapattoni’s initial squad not to even make it to the bench for his club.
Republic of Ireland captain Robbie Keane was taken off after 67 minutes in Tottenham’s game away to Bolton, but, like Wolves’ Andy Keogh and Kevin Foley, substituted at half-time against Portsmouth, his withdrawal was down to a mediocre display, rather than any injury concern.
Doubts over Aiden McGeady’s fitness, after the winger’s recent troubles with an ankle injury, were eased by the 90 minutes he played in yesterday’s Old Firm game, the player converting a penalty in the 25th minute for Celtic – they lost the game, though, 2-1.
Richard Dunne and Shay Given and are in action for their clubs tonight, Dunne lining out for Aston Villa against his former Manchester City team-mates at Villa Park.
Marcello Lippi, meanwhile, has named his Italian squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Ireland and Cyprus. Juventus defender Fabio Cannavaro is suspended for the game in Croke Park, but will join up with the squad in preparation for their final group game in Parma.
ITALIAN SQUAD:Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), De Sanctis (Napoli), Marchetti (Cagliari). Defenders: Cannavaro (Juventus), Chiellini (Juventus), Bocchetti (Genoa), Gamberini (Fiorentina), Grosso (Juventus), Legrottaglie (Juventus), Santon (Inter Milan), Zambrotta (AC Milan). Midfielders: Camoranesi (Juventus), D'Agostino (Udinese), De Rossi (AS Roma), Gattuso (Milan), Marchisio (Juventus), Palombo (Sampdoria), Pepe (Udinese), Pirlo (Milan). Forwards: Di Natale (Udinese), Gilardino (Fiorentina), Iaquinta (Juventus), Quagliarella (Napoli), Rossi (Villarreal).
