Carsley and Reid win recalls

Everton’s Lee Carsley and Blackburn’s Steven Reid have been recalled to the Republic of Ireland squad for the vital Group 10 Euro 2004 qualifier against Russia at Lansdowne Road on September 6.

Carsley and Reid missed the 2-1 victory over Australia in a friendly in Dublin on August 19.

Carsley was ruled out by a knee injury while Reid was an absentee with an ankle problem.

Republic boss Brian Kerr also gives call-ups to new Cardiff striker Alan Lee and Nottingham Forest midfielder Stephen McPhail, currently on a three-month loan from Leeds.

The 24-man squad also applies to the friendly against Turkey at Lansdowne Road on Wednesday, September 10.

“Lee Carsley has been receiving intensive treatment on the knee injury that has kept him out of the game for three weeks. Now he’s hoping to be in his club’s squad for the Merseyside derby against Liverpool at Goodison Park on Saturday,” Kerr told the official Republic of Ireland football website www.fai.ie.

“Steven Reid has recovered from his ankle injury and played the full 90 minutes for Blackburn against Manchester City on Monday. I’m very happy to have both players back on international duty.”

McPhail, who won the last of his seven caps in the scoreless draw with Greece in a friendly in Athens in November of last year, was watched by Kerr as Forest overcame Coventry City 3-1 in the English First Division game at Highfield Road on Wednesday night with Irish Under 21 international Andy Reid scoring two of the goals.

“It’s good that Stephen is getting first team football at Forest and he impressed me with his overall performance over the 90 minutes against Coventry. This not a time for blooding new potential talent. If necessary we may call up other players for the friendly with Turkey, four days after the Russian game,” added Kerr.

Cardiff’s Alan Lee, a £850,000 signing from Rotherham, has two previous caps this year against Norway and Georgia.

With Tottenham’s Robbie Keane an unfortunate absentee because of the ligament injury picked up in the victory over Australia, Lee is added to the list of forwards.

“Alan scored for his new club on Monday and that will have given him confidence. Naturally I’m disappointed that Robbie Keane is missing. Now we must hope that he will be fully fit for our final Group 10 qualifying game against Switzerland in Basel on October 11,” said Kerr.

Now it is all systems go for the squad as they prepare for the Russian game.

The squad will assemble in Dublin on Tuesday with skipper Kenny Cunningham all set to win his 50th cap.

Switzerland currently top Group 10 on 12 points with Ireland two points behind on 10 points. Russia are back in third place with seven points but have a match in hand.

RoI: Given (Newcastle), Colgan (Stockport), Murphy (West Brom), O’Shea (Man Utd), Carr (Tottenham), Cunningham (Birmingham), Breen (Sunderland), O’Brien (Newcastle), Harte (Leeds), Dunne (Man City), Finnan (Liverpool), Carsley (Everton), Healy (Sunderland), Holland (Charlton), Kinsella (Aston Villa), McPhail (Leeds), Kilbane (Sunderland), Reid (Blackburn), Quinn (Sheff Wed), Duff (Chelsea), Doherty (Tottenham), Morrison (Birmingham), Connolly (West Ham), Lee (Cardiff).

The squad will also apply for a friendly against Turkey at Lansdowne on Wednesday, September 10 (7.30pm).