Soccer: Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni will have to turn to youth as he attempts to cope with a lengthening injury list ahead of Wednesday's friendly clash with Norway. The Italian has now lost nine of the players he initially named for the game as Seán St Ledger and Paul Green became the latest casualties.
St Ledger was always unlikely to feature after he required painkilling injections on a knee injury to make it through Preston’s match against Hull last Friday while Green picked up a similar knock the following day.
Robbie Keane, Caleb Folan and Paul McShane were all ruled out at the end of last week before Richard Dunne (knee), Kevin Kilbane (back) and Keiren Westwood (knee) all sustained injuries over the weekend and were subsequently ruled out.
Aston Villa defender Ciaran Clark was named in a revised squad on Friday afternoon, but damaged a calf in the warm-up before Saturday’s 2-2 Premier League draw with Manchester United and was withdrawn yesterday afternoon.
In addition, United midfielder Darron Gibson has been excused duty as his daughter is ill in hospital while Kevin Doyle remains a concern due to a broken bone in his hand.
As a result, Trapattoni has signalled his intention to have a look at young Everton defender Séamus Coleman, Greg Cunningham, who is currently on loan at Leicester from Manchester City, and Stoke striker Jon Walters, while he also mentioned Celtic’s Darron O’Dea and Stoke’s Marc Wilson in dispatches.
Trapattoni, who is awaiting Aiden McGeady’s arrival from club duty with Spartak Moscow later today, said: “We are missing many injured players, but it is important in this friendly game to look at other young players.
“The likes of Coleman, Cunningham and Walters, it is very important for them and for us. The players, we know, but with us, they can increase in confidence and personality. It will be important in the future that these players are available to us.”
Wednesday’s game is the first since last month’s Euro 2012 double-header, which saw Ireland lose at home to Russia and draw in Slovakia. Despite the change in personnel, Trapattoni insists there will be plenty at stake.
“I have said many times in the past, there is no such thing as a friendly game for the national team. When players play for their country, when they have that shirt on, they have pride, they must be proud because they are playing for their country.”