Trap to pop up in Potteries

Giovanni Trapattoni will take the opportunity to cast his eye over as many as six Republic of Ireland players at Stoke’s Britannia Stadium on Saturday, writes Terry Reilly.

Trap will make a second successive visit to the Premier League after clear-the-air talks with the FAI to watch Stoke’s clash with Martin O’Neill’s Sunderland. That gives the Republic boss the opportunity to have another look at Stoke’s Marc Wilson, Glen Whelan (if fit) and Jonathan Walters, plus Black Cats James McClean, John O’Shea and possibly David Meyler.