Villa boss unlikely to risk Dunne in Millwall cup clash

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert has hinted that he is unlikely to throw Richard Dunne back into action for tonight’s FA Cup visit to Millwall.

Scarred by their League Cup humiliation at the hands of Bradford City, the embattled Premier League side are badly in need of the experience of the Irish international who has been sidelined with hip and groin problems since the European Championship finals in the summer.

Although Dunne has been put on standby for Ireland’s friendly against Poland next month, Giovanni Trapattoni has also said he will not risk the player unnecessarily ahead of the resumption of World Cup qualification in March.

Dunne has undergone three operations to try and cure his injury problem and is only one week back in training at his club.

Asked about his chances of a return tonight, Lambert said: “I think Richard’s a different case because he’s had a major operation. That’s the big thing with him.

“Sometimes you’ll do that with players, you’ll throw them in because you need to and then I’ll take the responsibility if they’re tired after an hour. But with Richard it’s a bit different.”

Another manager inclined to keep the reins on an Irish player is new Wolves boss Dean Saunders who has seen Stephen Hunt straining at the leash on his return to training after recovery from a hip problem which has kept him out of action since September.

Although omitted from the latest Irish squad, Hunt has a chance of being named on the bench for tomorrow’s Championship game against Blackpool but Saunders is concerned about the livewire winger attempting to do too much too soon.

“Hunty just can’t go out and train and take it easy and cruise through it,” Saunders observed. “Five minutes into the session on Tuesday he ran the length of the pitch on a counter attack, sprinting. I was cringing watching him running, thinking ‘steady on it’s your first day back’. So you can’t hold him down.

“He played 50 minutes in a practice match and he did well. He is a good lad and I am pleased that he is back out training. But let’s hope he doesn’t have any setbacks. That will be the test for him because he has gone from doing nothing to working hard. We will try and get him a game for him on Monday.”

Reading defender Alex Pearce has been added to the squad for the Poland match on February 6. The call-up comes after FC Toronto contacted the FAI to ask if Darren O’Dea could remain with his club during their pre-season preparations. Giovanni Trapattoni agreed to accommodate the request leading to the call up for Pearce who scored on his debut against Oman in September 2012.

In other match related news, the FAI has announced that holders of ticket for Republic of Ireland v Poland game on February 6 will be given free entry to the U21 Republic of Ireland v Holland match which takes place in Tallaght Stadium earlier the same day, kicking off at 1pm.

Meanwhile, the FAI has paid tribute to Jimmy O’Neill, Treasurer of the Waterford & District Junior League, who passed away yesterday after a brief illness.

Jimmy was a distinguished player, referee and administrator throughout his lifetime involvement in football. He played with Hibernians and Southend before spending eight years with Waterford FC for whom he made 88 league appearances. He also played for the Republic of Ireland Youths.

His son, also named Jimmy, followed in his footsteps as a League of Ireland referee and his brother John won seven League of Ireland championship medals, six with Waterford and one with Drumcondra.