Givens calls on reserves after mass withdrawal for friendly

IRELAND'S interim international team manager, Don Givens, was yesterday exposed to the two contrasting extremes of players' attitude to international football in a harsh introduction to life at the top.

An invitation he ex tended to Wimbledon striker David Connolly to join the squad was summarily rejected while an apologetic Andy O'Brien flew from Newcastle to explain to the temporary boss just why he had to be excused.

The withdrawal of eleven players from a squad of 25 must have been a huge disappointment to Givens even if it was always predictable there would be a sizeable casualty list after a full programme of matches at the week-end. Givens assumed a philosophical attitude as the list of withdrawals mounted but there was no hiding his anger as he addressed the press corps and touched upon his attempt to include Connolly as a late replacement.

He said: "David Connolly, scorer of eight goals in 34 internationals, refused to make himself available because he wasn't selected for the squad in the first place. Of course I'm disappointed with his attitude" he added in response to the obvious question, "you do not turn down a call to play for your country, whether you are Irish, English, Scottish or Welsh you would have to be disappointed with a response like that." The contrast in attitude with that of Andy O'Brien was stark. O'Brien, who is 23 with five international appearances, was substituted after 78 minutes of Newcastle's 2-1 win over Southampton on Saturday because of muscle cramp but the injury was not serious enough to keep him out of Wednesday's game.

Givens explained: "Andy O'Brien asked to be excused because of a family situation and I have no problem with that. He travelled to Dublin today because he said he wanted to explain to me face-to-face the nature of his problem and he went straight back home. I appreciated his attitude."

Givens called up four players to bring his decimated squad up to 18 in number. The newcomers are Glen Crowe (Bohemians), Richie Partridge (Liverpool), Barry Quinn (Coventry City) and Wesley Houlihan (Shelbourne). Said Givens: "We have three goalkeepers so we have a team and six subs." The players who withdrew in addition to O'Brien are Stephen Carr ('Spurs), Gary Kelly and Ian Harte (Leeds), Mark Kinsella (Villa), Kevin Kilbane (Sunderland), Clinton Morrison (Birmingham), Damien Duff (Blackburn), Robbie Keane ('Spurs), Graham Barrett (Brighton) and Mark Kennedy (Wolves).

The withdrawal of so many forwards means that Crowe is virtually certain to start the game against Greece on Wednesday.

If so he will be the first League of Ireland player to play for Ireland since Pat Byrne played against Czechoslovakia on May 17, 1986 in one of Jack Charlton's first matches. Byrne, of Shamrock Rovers, won eight caps. Givens hinted that Crowe will start the game and said: "I have been very impressed with him. I saw him play for Bohemians this season and he is a good player in a good team.