Gibson on way back

Darron Gibson is set to return to the international fold.

That’s according to Giovanni Trapattoni, who says that, in a recent conversation with the Evertonmidfielder, Gibson told him he planned to make himself available for selection again.

However, injury has ruled the player out of the squad for the November 14 friendly against Greece.

Disappointed by his failure to make it off the bench at the European Championship finals, Gibson asked not to be considered for the start of the World Cup qualifying campaign but, according to the Ireland manager, he has now had a change of heart.

Trapattoni said: “Yes, I spoke to him after the Faroes game and he said, ‘Sorry Mister, again a problem with the thigh’. But he said also, ‘I have no problem when I will be ready’. But at the moment he does not play.”

But he has given a commitment to return? “Yes, yes, he said to me ‘no problem this’. He was also disappointed [after the Euros], we had many players disappointed.

“Me, I was the first disappointed by the Euros.”

Meanwhile, Trapattoni said that Norwich’s Anthony Pilkington must decide if he wants to commit to the Republic before the manager can consider calling him into a squad.

“Pilkington in this moment we need to ask, ‘do you want to stay?’. We have this doubt situation,” said the manager.

“He must answer us. But there is no contact because we have not the possibility because he is not our player.”