Trap opens door to young guns

THE FAI has already begun to process the necessary paperwork on a number of UK-born players who may declare for the Republic of Ireland in the near future.

According to manager Giovanni Trapattoni, up to seven players have hinted they may be ready to throw their lot in with the Irish set-up and Tottenham duo Jamie O’Hara and Kyle Naughton were two of the names mentioned yesterday.

Both are currently out on loan. O’Hara, who is with Portsmouth, has already stated he will make a decision after the World Cup. Naughton, a defender who normally operates at right-back, has been less vocal about his intentions.

Both have played underage for England but are eligible to play senior football for the Republic due a recent rule change which has also seen Everton’s Shane Duffy quit Northern Ireland for their neighbours down south.

“We have to ask FIFA for permission for him to play with us,” said Trapattoni of O’Hara. “We have already started the procedures to make sure he can play with Ireland. We need communication with FIFA. Naughton also. The federation has started. There are others who are in this procedure. Two, three, four players approached by Liam Brady, Marco (Tardelli) also with two or three and they say, ‘we wish, we can’.”

Duffy’s clearance has yet to be processed but, though he cannot feature in the upcoming May friendlies against Paraguay or Algeria, he has been offered a spot in the 23-man training squad that was announced yesterday.

As expected, Trapattoni will use the week-long training camp in Malahide to run the rule over younger, less experienced players before calling on more familiar faces to buttress the squad for the games at the RDS.

Eight uncapped players have been given the call, including three – Sunderland’s David Meyler, Birmingham City’s Keith Fahey and Derby County’s Paul Green – who will be joining a senior Ireland get-together for the first time.

For Meyler, son of former Wexford hurling manager John, the call caps a memorable week in which he has also been awarded with a new five-year contract at the Stadium of Light.

“He is a player,” Trapattoni enthused. “He is not little and that is important also. He has continuity with the ball. He goes back, he runs and he passes.

“Meyler is a midfielder, he is different, and that is good because our system needs these players. We need two on the touchline and they have their jobs. He is no (Stephen) Ireland, no (James) McCarthy, he is different.

“There are architects and engineers and workers and you need these players. Also, Green, he is a little bit different. Fahey is also a little bit different. They can show us what they can do.’’

The end-of-season camp will also be another opportunity for the likes of McCarthy and Marc Wilson who first got the nod for an Irish squad two months ago for the friendly against Brazil in London.

There is, however, no place for others like Manchester City’s Greg Cunningham, who was involved against Brazil, or Everton’s Seamus Coleman, who is currently on a loan spell with Blackpool.

Trapattoni has been criticised for his refusal to cast a wider net during his tenure but he made it clear yesterday that this was an opportunity for some new faces to make a name for themselves ahead of Euro 2012 duties.

He had little hesitation in describing McCarthy, who has enjoyed significantly more game time with Wigan Athletic since his international debut against Brazil, as the most exciting of the up-and-coming bunch.

“Yes. At the moment I can say yes. I have seen him this year many, many times. He looks very well. He is young but he has a good personality. Also, he can shoot from 20-30 metres.’’

The squad’s inexperience can be gauged by the fact that it can boast only a collective 103 caps, 60 of which have been won by Paul McShane, Stephen Kelly, Andy Keogh and Shane Long.

The initial squad will work together from May 16-21 before the remaining players are brought in and, so far, none of Trapattoni’s more senior lieutenants have indicated a desire not to be involved. That said, the Republic of Ireland manager is aware that rest may be a higher priority for some players including Richard Dunne (achilles) and Keith Andrews (groin) who are currently playing through the pain barrier with their clubs.

Republic of Ireland squad: K Westwood (Coventry City), J Murphy (Scunthorpe United), B Murphy (Ipswich Town), S Kelly (Fulham), E Nolan (Sheffield Wednesday), P McShane (Hull City), S Duffy (Everton), K Foley (Wolves), S Ward (Wolves), M Wilson (Portsmouth), D O’Dea (Celtic), K Treacy (Preston North End), D Gibson (Manchester United), A Keogh (Wolves), J McCarthy (Wigan Athletic), L Lawrence (Stoke City), D Meyler (Sunderland), K Fahey (Birmingham City), P Green (Derby County), C Folan (Hull City), L Best (Newcastle United), S Long (Reading), A Stokes (Hibernian).