Trap avoids selection headache as Best out

Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni looks set to be spared a potential selection headache when he names his squad for the upcoming friendly against the Czech Republic on Friday.

Newcastle yesterday confirmed striker Leon Best, who was forced off in the early stages of Sunday’s 2-1 victory over Aston Villa, is likely to be out of action for a number of weeks.

Newcastle boss Alan Pardew had previously conceded that he feared Best was facing a six-week spell on the sidelines but even if his lay-off is significantly less than that it would rule him out of the game against the Czech’s at the end of the month.

News that Best, who will have a scan on his injury today, faces a lay-off will come as blow to player and club but perhaps not Trapattoni who has ignored calls to recall the striker who won his last cap in the friendly defeat to Brazil in London in March 2010.

Best has been in impressive form for Newcastle this season but has failed to convince Trapattoni, with the veteran Italian publicly questioning the striker’s workrate, remarks that irked Pardew.

Elsewhere Sunderland manager Martin O’Neill has leapt to defence of David Meyler after the Irish midfielder was on the receiving end of a stinging attack from Stoke boss Tony Pulis.

Pulis was furious after Robert Huth was sent off for a first-half lunge on Meyler, accusing the former Cork City man of playacting to get the defender dismissed.

Stoke yesterday lodged an appeal against Huth’s red card but O’Neill insisted his player had done nothing wrong.

“I thought at the time it was a red and I watched the incident back again on Sunday,” O’Neill told the Sunderland website.

“It was a poor challenge and given the conditions, the referee had very little alternative.

“Whilst Tony’s point about players in general has got merit, David Meyler is absolutely and utterly not one of them.

“This young lad has had an injury-stricken career and naturally was doing his utmost to avoid the challenge — he was still caught, though.”

Meanwhile the FAI yesterday confirmed Montecatini in Italy will be their pre-tournament base ahead of Euro 2012.

The squad will leave Dublin on May 27, the day after the friendly against Bosnia, and will stay in Montecatini until June 3.

The FAI also expects to receive final confirmation this week on its friendly match against Hungary.

The match is planned to take place in Budapest on June 4, the day before the team reports to its tournament base in Gdynia, Poland.