Tardelli expects positive reaction

MARCO TARDELLI yesterday made no attempt to disguise his disappointment at losing Kevin Doyle, who returned to Wolves today for treatment on a swollen knee, but Giovanni Trapattoni’s assistant manager insisted that Ireland have adequate striking options in Shane Long and Andy Keogh as they fly out to Slovakia this morning.

When it was put to him that having just one striker on the bench meant it would be prudent to call up Celtic’s Anthony Stokes Tardelli begged to differ.

“You want to call in Stokes, you speak about Stokes,” he said. “He plays well now but we have other players. Stokes is a good option for the future. It is possible he will play against Norway in the friendly next month but now we have the young players. If Keogh plays, we have Long. We need just one.”