Kerr calls Crowe into squad for Norway friendly
Crowe, who had previous spells with Wolves and Exeter, has been the eircom League top goalscorer for the last three seasons and now wins a recall after recovering from a knee injury he sustained just before Christmas.
Having regained his fitness during pre-season training with Bohemians, and scoring in the Dublin club’s League opener in their 1-0 victory against UCD last Friday, he now returns to the squad after an impressive debut against Greece in Athens last November.
The 25-year-old is well known to the manager having been involved in Kerr’s underage teams and was a member of the Republic of Ireland Youth squad which finished third in the World Youth Championships in Malaysia in 1997.
Kerr said: “Difficulties have emerged with regard to players’ fitness and match sharpness for international fixtures outside the new eircom League summer season.
“I am glad that Glen has kept himself in good condition during his enforced absence to be in almost top shape against UCD when he scored the only goal of the game.”
Also included in the 24-man panel are the uncapped midfielder Alan Quinn (Sheffield Wednesday) and striker Alan Lee (Rotherham), both of whom earned late call-ups to the squad for the recent Group 10 European Championship qualifying games against Georgia and Albania.
Missing are injured trio Clinton Morrison (Birmingham), Steven Reid (Millwall) and Jason McAteer (Sunderland) while Steve Finnan (Fulham), Gary Kelly (Leeds) and Ian Harte (Leeds) return to the squad after being forced to withdraw from the panel for the last two games because of injuries.
The game will be Kerr’s first home game as senior international manager and he believes Norway will provide a stern test ahead of the restart of the Euro 2004 qualifiers at home to Albania and Georgia in June.
Kerr added: “Norway have started very well in the Group Two Qualifiers, heading the group above Denmark.
“They have players who are familiar to us from British football like Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as well as John Carew of Valencia.
They will provide a stiff test for us but with it being my first home game I will be hoping for a good performance and a win.”
Squad: Colgan (Hibernian), Given (Newcastle), Kiely (Charlton), Carr (Tottenham), Harte (Leeds), O’Shea (Man Utd), O’Brien (Newcastle), Breen (West Ham), Cunningham (Birmingham), Kelly (Leeds), Finnan (Fulham), Carsley (Everton), Healy (Celtic), Holland (Ipswich), Kinsella (Aston Villa), Quinn (Sheff Wed), Kilbane (Sunderland), McPhail (Leeds), Duff (Blackburn), Crowe (Bohemians), Connolly (Wimbledon), Doherty (Tottenham), Lee (Rotherham), Keane (Tottenham).
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