Cox cool as competition for squad places hots up

WITH tonight’s second leg all but a dead rubber, thoughts are already turning to next summer and the possible composition of the squad Giovanni Trapattoni might take with him to eastern Europe.

Ten years will have elapsed since the Italian managed his own national side to the World Cup, an occasion which also marked the last time the Republic of Ireland graced the final stages of a major championship.

That leaves little in the way of evidence to sift through when coming up with a likely squad next June but, for what it is worth, Mick McCarthy took three goalkeepers, eight defenders, eight midfielders and four forwards in 2002.