The FAI insists Giovanni Trapattoni has "given his blessing" to Joey O'Brien to play for West Ham today despite the Dubliner pulling out of the Republic of Ireland squad for the vital World Cup qualifiers against Sweden, at home next Friday, and Austria in Vienna four days later.
O'Brien, Sean St Ledger and Aiden McGeady were all ruled out of the squad due to knee problems yesterday morning and Paddy Madden followed them in withdrawing a few hours later with a similar injury but when it became apparent the West Ham defender might feature against Stoke this afternoon in a game the Italian is scheduled to attend, the FAI issued a statement.
“Our medical teams were speaking prior to Joey’s withdrawal from the Irish squad,” it said. “A decision was reached based on Joey’s serious knee injury sustained two years ago, and he requires treatment during the international window next week after a patellar tendon flare up. The manager has given his blessing to this as we have sufficient cover on this occasion. He may feature for his club tomorrow.”
The loss of St Ledger and McGeady won't have come as a great surprise to the manager, with neither featuring of late for their respective clubs but it does represent a blow.
Disappointed
Madden will be disappointed to miss out on being involved in the preparations for such big games so early in his international career, meanwhile, even if he was fairly unlikely to feature.
With Jeff Hendrick having been sidelined last weekend by an ankle injury, Trapattoni has lost five of his original 29- man provisional squad and in order to get group down to the regulation 23, he has cut David Meyler, placing him on standby, a message, his employers say, he communicated personally.
Republic of Ireland squad
Forde (Millwall), Westwood (Sunderland), Randolph (Birmingham City), O'Shea (Sunderland), Wilson (Stoke City), Coleman (Everton), Kelly (Reading), O'Dea (Metalurh Donetsk), Clark (Aston Villa), Dunne (QPR), McShane (Hull City), Whelan (Stoke City), McCarthy (Wigan Athletic), Green (Leeds United), Pilkington (Norwich City), McClean (Wigan Athletic), Brady (Hull City), Hoolahan (Norwich City), Long (West Brom), Keane (LA Galaxy), Sammon (Derby County), Walters (Stoke City), Cox (Nottingham Forest). On standby: Meyler (Hull City).
