International news: Mick McCarthy made a cautious start to assessing his World Cup options yesterday when he named just two uncapped players in his 24-man squad for next Wednesday's friendly match against Russia at Lansdowne Road.
While there are call-ups for Millwall's Richard Sadlier and Colin Healy - on loan to Coventry City from Celtic - the bulk of the squad is drawn from the pool of players that guided the Republic into this summer's finals.
With his squad of 23 for the trip to Japan scheduled to be named ahead of Ireland's game against Nigeria in May, McCarthy effectively has three games - this one and against Denmark and the USA in March and April, respectively - to assess his options. But the fact he has limited newcomers to just two tends to underline the suspicion he intends to remain loyal to the panel of players he has relied on during the past couple of years.
Mark Kinsella, Rory Delap and David Connolly have been omitted from the squad because of injuries but McCarthy has still named 24 players, suggesting he anticipates the further loss of players by the start of next week.
The Ireland manager, who is scheduled to sign a new two-year contract tomorrow, was expected to be more experimental in his selection. He had previously mentioned Blackburn's Alan Mahon, Preston's Michael Keane and John O'Shea as possibilities for this squad while even Phil Babb might have been expected to get a call given he is playing regularly with Sporting Lisbon who lead the Portuguese league.
The elevation of Ballincollig's Healy is a welcome opportunity for the versatile young player who has long been regarded as one of the country's brightest young prospects. It also appears to be the result of a stroke of luck on the part of the player who has played just six first-team games at Celtic and, recently, Coventry City this season.
Apparently he flew from Scotland to join up with City on the morning of January 29th not expecting to figure in that day's game against Crystal Palace. McCarthy was going to the game to have a look at players like Clinton Morrison, Gary Breen and Barry Quinn and happened to be impressed by Healy who made a surprise start.
The news came as a shock to Healy who was told of his selection at lunchtime yesterday by his father. "A couple of weeks ago I was at Celtic not getting a look in and now I've played two games for Coventry and about to be in an senior Irish squad where I'll be training with players like Roy Keane. Obviously it's fantastic."
Sadlier's inclusion, meanwhile, is no surprise with the 23-year-old Dubliner having made a strong case this season with 17 goals scored for first division side Millwall. The striker's chances of forcing his way into the squad for Japan seem more realistic too.
Healy has shown himself to be capable of playing anywhere in midfield or at right back during his under-21 international career but it seems unlikely there will a vacancy for him. At 6 ft 2 ins, however, Sadlier offers the possibility of an alternative aerial threat to Niall Quinn, particularly if there are doubts about the fitness of Gary Doherty who is recovering from a broken leg.
Kinsella and Connolly are the only two absentees from the 16 players that figured in the two play-off games against Iran in November.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND SQUAD (v Russia, Lansdowne Road, Wednesday, February 13th, kick-off 7.30): Given (Newcastle), Kiely (Charlton), A Kelly (Blackburn); Finnan (Fulham), G Kelly (Leeds), Breen (Coventry), Cunningham (Wimbledon), Dunne (Man City), Staunton (Aston Villa), O'Brien (Newcastle), Harte (Leeds); McAteer (Sunderland), Roy Keane (Man Utd), Holland (Ipswich), Kennedy (Wolves), Kilbane (Sunderland), Reid (Millwall), Carsley (Coventry), Healy (Coventry); Quinn (Sunderland), Morrison (Crystal Palace), Sadlier (Millwall), Robbie Keane (Leeds), Duff (Blackburn).
