Hoolahan’s lack of physicality concerns Tardelli

Glenn Whelan’s withdrawal from the Ireland squad with a hamstring injury means there will be at least one significant change in the team to face Austria in the potentially last-gasp World Cup qualifier in Vienna tomorrow night.

Whether that might facilitate a change in approach remains to be seen but, interestingly, assistant manager Marco Tardelli yesterday conceded that Ireland’s football had been too one-dimensional against Sweden. “Yes sometimes,” he said. “On the pitch we needed to think before we played.”

Asked if he felt the introduction of Wes Hoolahan could have changed things, he replied: “It’s possible. He is a technical player but there is also the match where it is important to be strong physically.