Decision time looms for Trap

Giovanni Trapattoni admits he still has a couple of big selection decisions to make before he decides on his 23-man squad for the European Championship finals.

Visiting Ireland’s pre-tournament training camp at Montecatini in his native Italy yesterday, the manager said: “I have two or three decisions to make. [James] McCarthy, [Seamus] Coleman, players like that. McCarthy played on Wednesday against Manchester United and United lost. His team are improving.”

Asked if James McClean was now closer to claiming a place, Trapattoni replied: “I said it was important to give a chance to the players who helped us achieve qualification, but I also said it was important to leave one or two spaces for the new group, the next generation and sure there is a possibility for players like this.”

Of ongoing concern for the manager is the welfare of those who, injury permitting, are certain to travel — and, as of yesterday, he had encouraging news on all fronts.

“I am optimistic about Richard Dunne,” he said. “Two days ago he said to me ‘Giovanni, I am well, I am sure I can play in the last game in the Premier League’. The recovery from his operation is going well.

“I was in touch on Wednesday with Glenn Whelan because he didn’t play in Stoke’s last game but he said he was okay, the manager just wanted to leave him on the bench. And I also checked with Stephen Hunt, we spoke to the doctor at his club but he is sure he can be fit for us.

“I have also been in touch with Damien Duff and Aiden McGeady and McGeady says he is fine. He said he was injured but he is now fit to play. I check on all the games he plays, and on all the other players.”

Interestingly, Trapattoni had words of praise for Norwich City’s Wes Hoolahan though, by the sound of things, the player might have to wait until the World Cup qualifiers to belatedly refloat his Irish career.

“Hoolahan has improved very much. I have spoken to Marco about him, he has been fantastic. He played well in the last game I saw, he played in a specialist position behind the strikers. I have thought about him and we will consider this option, but we have a system and maybe it’s too late to change that system. But I don’t forget Hoolahan, and maybe he will be there for the next campaign for the World Cup.”

Trapattoni said he was delighted to be back in Montecatini, where the Irish squad will be based for a week before heading to Budapest for a friendly against Hungary and then on to Poland .

“Me and Marco (Tardelli) are famous around here,” he said. “I was coach of Fiorentina and Marco was born around here, so people here know us. It’s a beautiful place for our players to come and see and I am sure they will have a good time here. But it is all about hard work now. The pitch and the training ground is fantastic, we will have no problems here.”