Soccer:Giovanni Trapattoni's plans ahead of the Euro 2012 qualifier in Macedonia on June 4th will have to be altered again after Spartak Moscow refused to release Aiden McGeady for the Carling Nations Cup games at the end of this month.
The club has informed the Italian that McGeady is needed for their crucial visit to league leaders Zenit St Petersburg on May 29th, the same day the Republic of Ireland face Scotland at the Aviva Stadium and five days after they host Northern Ireland.
Spartak, who started the season poorly and have just 10 points from seven games, lie seventh in the league and cannot afford to let a player so instrumental in recent back-to-back 1-0 wins leave.
Against both Spartak Nalchik and Moscow rivals CSKA, McGeady provided the crucial assists.
The club cannot prevent him travelling to Skopje for the competitive game against Macedonia on June 4th and, as it stands, he will also be free to face Italy in a friendly three days later. Spartak face Rubin Kazan on June 9th, however, and if results do not go their way in the meantime they may well be keen to call the winger back early.
McGeady has been one of the few bright lights in a season that began in March and opened with three defeats in five, but he was no doubt eager to face his fellow Scots for the first time since his controversial decision to play for Ireland. Trapattoni certainly could have done without the news, though as a former club manager he was happy to “accommodate” Spartak in this instance, an FAI spokesman said this evening.
He still has adequate midfield cover for the friendlies, but preparations for Macedonia will undoubtedly be hampered by the absence of another first-teamer – a player who is increasingly influential at international level.
The Italian has already lost his other preferred winger Damien Duff to injury and striker Kevin Doyle is also a fitness doubt, but the real problems may lie in defence, where Aston Villa defender Ciaran Clark appears to have added to the worry.
The former England under-21 captain pulled up in training today with a hamstring strain that is likely to rule him out of tomorrow's game against Wigan. With Richard Dunne suspended for the trip to Skopje and Seán St Ledger and Darren O’Dea still very much doubtful through injury, it could well be a threadbare defence that takes on Macedonia.
There also remains the question of Shay Given, whose successful recovery from a long-term shoulder injury is vital after the withdrawal of his deputy Keiren Westwood yesterday. Trapattoni appeared confident this week the Donegalman will recover in time. If not, he faces a choice between Darren Randolph or David Forde, both of whom are uncapped.
