SOCCER: Republic of Ireland's Group E opponents Germany go with the tried and trusted, with McCarthy expected to do the same this morning.
Mick McCarthy will this morning name his 23-man squad to travel to the World Cup later this month. With loyalty a key theme of McCarthy's in recent months, the Republic of Ireland manager is expected to reward those players who were involved in the qualifying campaign.
With 17 selections thought to be sure things, it is the remaining six places that have been the source of debate in recent months. Four more players - Mark Kennedy, Richard Dunne, David Connolly and Lee Carsley - are expected to benefit from McCarthy's loyalty card.
The caveat to that would be Kennedy's recent injury problems, which might open the way for Millwall's Steven Reid, and the recent friendly performances of Colin Healy, the Celtic player who spent the latter part of the season at Coventry, which might put pressure on Carsley, who was little used during qualifying.
Of the other fringe players, Andy O'Brien and Clinton Morrisson are favourites to take the remaining two places in McCarthy's squad.
After this morning's selection, the squad will assemble in England next week for Tuesday night's Niall Quinn testimonial game against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light before coming back to Dublin for a friendly against Nigeria at Lansdowne Road on Thursday.
The squad travel to Japan the following morning, Friday May 17th, the day of the General Election.
Meanwhile, the Republic's Group E opponents Germany announced their squad yesterday.Coach Rudi Voeller picked Sebastian Deisler in the 23-man squad despite doubts about the midfielder's fitness.
Deisler, who has hardly played since last October, returned to action with his Hertha Berlin club only on Saturday. The gifted 22-year-old, who will play for Bayern Munich next season, had just recovered from knee surgery when he tore a thigh muscle in training last month.
Voeller also called up Hertha Berlin defender Marko Rehmer, who is currently sidelined with an ankle injury, in a squad with no major surprises.
Bayern Munich midfielder Mehmet Scholl pulled out last month because he was not fully fit while Bayer Leverkusen central defender Jens Nowotny was ruled out with a knee injury sustained in last week's 1-1 draw with Manchester United that sent his team through to the Champions League final.
Several who hoped to make the squad will be left behind, among them Werder Bremen's versatile defender Frank Baumann and midfielder Lars Ricken from newly-crowned German champions Borussia Dortmund.
Bayern Munich striker Carsten Jancker was selected despite the fact that he has not scored a goal in the Bundesliga this season. TSV 1860 Munich's Martin Max, joint top scorer in the German first division with 18 goals, was left out because he has virtually no international experience.
Dortmund, who play Feyenoord in the UEFA Cup final in Rotterdam tomorrow, and Bundesliga runners-up Bayer Leverkusen have five players each in the squad with only four from Bayern.
The most capped player in the group is Tottenham wing-back Christian Ziege, who has 64 caps. The oldest is Monaco striker and former Germany captain Oliver Bierhoff (34), while the youngest are Deisler and Dortmund defenders Sebastian Kehl and Christoph Metzelder, all 22.
Brazil boss Luiz Felipe Scolari has resisted popular pressure and excluded Romario from his World Cup squad. The Vasco de Gama striker (36) is not among the 23 players named last night. In addition, there is no place for Golden Shoe contender Mario Jardel of Sporting Lisbon. Ronaldo completes his comeback after an injury-plagued four years since he collapsed minutes before the 1998 World Cup final, which saw Brazil beaten by France.
Peter Lovenkrands' breakthrough season at Rangers reached new heights yesterday after he was named in Denmark coach Morten Olsen's squad. The 22-year-oldscored twice as Rangers lifted the Scottish Cup on Saturday.
Japan/Korea 2002: Squad announcements
GERMANY: Goalkeepers: HJ Butt (Bayer Leverkusen), O Kahn (Bayern Munich), J Lehmann (Borussia Dortmund); Defenders: J Heinrich (Borussia Dortmund), S Kehl (Borussia Dortmund), T Linke (Bayern Munich), C Metzelder (Borussia Dortmund), M Rehmer (Hertha Berlin), C Worns (Borussia Dortmund), C Ziege (Tottenham Hotspur); Midfielders: M Ballack (Bayer Leverkusen), S Deisler (Hertha Berlin), T Frings (Werder Bremen), D Hamann (Liverpool), J Jeremies (Bayern Munich), C Ramelow (Bayer Leverkusen), B Schneider (Bayer Leverkusen); Strikers: G Asamoah (Schalke), O Bierhoff (Monaco), M Bode (Werder Bremen), C Jancker (Bayern Munich), M Klose (Kaiserslautern), O Neuville (Bayer Leverkusen).
BRAZIL: Goalkeepers: Marcos (Palmeiras), Dida (Corinthians), Rogerio Ceni (Sao Paulo). Defenders: Cafu (Roma), Belletti (Sao Paulo), Roberto Carlos (Real Madrid), Junior (Parma), Roque Junior (AC Milan), Anderson Polga (Gremio), Lucio (Bayer Leverkusen), Edmilson (Lyon). Midfielders: Emerson (Roma), Gilberto Silva (Atletico-MG), Kleberson (Atletico-PR), Vampeta (Corinthians), Juninho Paulista (Flamengo) Kaka (Sao Paulo), Ronaldinho (Paris St Germain), Rivaldo (Barcelona). Strikers: Edilson (Cruzeiro), Luizao (Gremio), Denilson (Real Betis), Ronaldo (Inter Milan).
DENMARK: Goalkeepers: P Kjaer (Aberdeen), T Sorensen (Sunderland) J Christiansen (Vejle/Rangers) Defenders: N Jensen (Manchester City), T Helveg (AC Milan), K Bogelund (PSV Eindhoven), M Laursen (AC Milan), S Lustu (Lyn Oslo), R Henriksen (Panathinaikos), J Heintze (PSV Eindhoven) Midfielders: T Gravesen (Everton), S Tofting (Bolton), C Jensen (Charlton), B Steen Nielsen (Malmo), C Poulsen (FC Copenhagen), D Rommedahl (PSV), J Michaelsen (Panathinaikos), J Gronkjaer (Chelsea) Strikers: E Sand (Schalke 04), P Lovenkrands (Rangers), JD Tomasson (Feyenoord), M Jorgensen (Udinese), P Madsen (Brondby).
