Mick McCarthy today dropped his biggest hint yet that Everton's Lee Carsley is in line for a starting role in tomorrow's 2004 European Championship qualifier against Switzerland at Lansdowne Road.
McCarthy has been left short on the right side of midfield following the recent spate of injuries to a number of squad regulars and his confirmation today that Manchester United's John O'Shea was not being considered at full back paves the way for Gary Kelly to fill that berth with either Carsley or Colin Healy playing further up the line.
Carsley's case is bolstered by the fact that he has started in the position for Everton in their last three Premierhsip games while Healy on the other hand is struggling to feature in a highly competitive Celtic squad.
When questioned if he had considered O'Shea to fill the right back position McCarthy said: "No not particularly."
The manager did, however, experiment with players' positions during this morning's training session and said that O'Shea had slotted in at right back but only "in terms of pattern of play and for crossing and linking up with the right winger." O'Shea played in the centre during yesterday's get together.
Matt Holland, rested for the last two days, went through the motions by completing a warm up this morning but took no part in the full session.
He picked up knocks to his hip and ribs while playing for Ipswich at the weekend but McCarthy "fully expects" the midfielder to be available for tomorrow's game.
Despite stating yesterday that Damien Duff was "an option" on the right of midfield, it is expected the Blackburn star will line out alongside Robbie Keane for the eighth successive game. McCarthy was again bullish about his deadly duo and stated that the two had formed "a fantastic partnership."
"They've a good understanding and a great rapport with each other both on and off the field. You can argue until you are blue in the face about Duffer's position be it left, right or down the middle but as always I'll pick the team where I get the best out of players...they were an outstanding partnership in the World Cup."
Clinton Morrison's impressive take to the Premiership has given McCarthy further options up front in the wake of Niall Quinn's international retirement.
Despite some fleeting appearances in the Irish jersey, Morrison has netted three goals in just eight internationals and McCarthy appreciates the options the Birmingham striker brings to the squad.
"It's great to have options to change things around," said McCarthy. "It's great when you have the team out on the pitch and you look at the bench and you've got seven subs and you know you can do something with those substitutions and that they are capable of playing."
"Clinton's a goal scorer no question, I've seen him play a few times and against West Ham he formed some partnership with Stern John. I think that everybody expected that he was ready to make the step up...sometimes you look at a game and wonder what he's done and then bang he's scored one."
McCarthy confirmed last week that his central defensive pairing of Gary Breen, who will earn his 50th cap tomorrow, and Kenny Cunningham would stay intact for the Switzerland game despite the team's poor result in Russia.
McCarthy said he saw no sense in wielding the axe based on one negative result. While Breen's performances this season for struggling West Ham have been questionable McCarthy, as ever, is prepared to stand by his man.
"I've seen Breeney two or three times (this season) and he's done ok in the games. I rang Glenn Roeder to congratulate him after the Chelsea game and he left me a message to say its nice to get support from fellow managers but to say how well Breeney had played and that he was outstanding.
"There's always that thing about playing for your country (Ireland), something I learned from Big Jack (Charlton). I was playing in Millwall's reserves at the time but when I came in for Jack I never let anyone down and Jack supported that. Things might not be going well at your club but its how the lads perform for me that counts."