Trapattoni taking no chances

Shay Given’s insistence on playing every and any game possible for his country is well-documented but Giovanni Trapattoni admits he would be “an idiot” to risk his first-choice goalkeeper against Bosnia this Saturday.

The Aston Villa player picked up a knee injury during training in Malahide on Monday and is currently on reduced duties. He was one of almost a dozen squad members who either sat out yesterday’s two training sessions or played a reduced role.

Mix that roll call of absentees with Trapattoni’s pidgin English and it took some time to nail down who was and wasn’t okay for the weekend’s fixture with the pitchside interview descending into comedy before everything became, somewhat, clearer.

“Responsibility,” said Trapattoni, cutting through the mirth at one point. “It’s serious. They must assure me they are 100%. Also, the goalkeeper must shoot the long ball. He is idiot and I am idiot also [if he plays and gets injured]. Why run this risk?”

Trapattoni recently upbraided John O’Shea for playing in Sunderland’s last game of the Premier League season with an ankle injury so that mind-set would suggest Given will be made wait until the last friendly, against Hungary, on June 4 to earn his 122nd cap.

So, too, did Shane Long (back), Jonathan Walters (minor knee niggle) and Keith Andrews (groin), all of whom sat out part of the morning’s light workout. Keith Fahey (groin) has been declared fit for Saturday while Kevin Foley (hamstring) is doing well and may also take part.

“They wish to play,” Trapattoni said of his many charges who are harbouring knocks and niggles. “They play always. They are fit. We will decide if it is better for them not to play because it’s too near. Bosnia is a strong, technical team. They don’t play violins.

“Until the last minute they were winning against France in Paris. It is a good test for us. I am happy because these players want to play but I must pay attention because an injury… I would prefer if they didn’t play but the players are very keen to play.”

The signs are that Keane and Dunne will get at least 45 minutes at the Aviva Stadium. So will Aiden McGeady and Damien Duff while James McClean is set to add to his 12 minutes of international football with an appearance at some stage. “He will be one of the first I can look at,” said the Italian.

The Irish manager’s first-choice XI may normally be set in stone but caution is clearly the watchword this week and he stressed yesterday the imperative to give fringe players such as Darron Gibson rather than regulars like Glenn Whelan game time at Lansdowne Road.

“The players miss a little bit of fitness as they do not all play games (with their clubs) so we create this balance. In the Bosnia game I will look at this balance for the condition and who can play a half or for one hour.”

Trapattoni’s colleagues in Group C will be contemplating similar scenarios this week. Croatia face Estonia on Friday, Spain take on Serbia the following day while Italy should enjoy a comfortable time of it against Luxembourg on Tuesday.

Italian coach Cesare Prandelli has already dismissed his side’s chances of winning the Euros and his preliminary squad, which includes 14 players from clubs which finished outside Serie A’s European places or Serie B, would seem to back that up.

Trapattoni isn’t so sure.

“No, because in Italy there’s a system. A system that deals with preparation and fitness and tactical issues. All are dealt with from the time the players are kids and there are not too many differences between Roma, Fiorentina, Milan, Juventus.

“When you say that we need to do this and this, we have habits, we have no habit in Ireland because the players play in England and there Aston Villa plays one way, Manchester plays this way, the others play the other way.”