SOCCER/Rep of Ireland v Chile: Sven-Goran Eriksson may have trumped his Irish opposite number in the surprise call-up stakes yesterday but the news that Steve Staunton will bring Shelbourne's Jason Byrne and Terry Dixon of Spurs to Portugal with him for next week's four-day training camp provided early evidence the new manager is capable of producing the odd rabbit from his hat.
With 29 seats to fill on the plane, Staunton had exceptional freedom on this occasion to make symbolic gestures towards the youth ranks and domestic game but the inclusion of Byrne, two years after he made a fleeting appearance for the Republic in Poland, was nevertheless welcomed at home while Dixon's call up will presumably demonstrate that hard work, at whatever level, will be both recognised and rewarded by the new regime.
In a panel dominated by the tried and tested, including Shay Given - on the verge of signing a new five- year contract with Newcastle United - the two new names stand out. True, Stephen Kelly and Liam Lawrence have yet to be capped but with both boasting a reasonable amount of Premiership football neither could exactly be described as a surprise inclusion. Similarly, the fact that Wayne Henderson, Joey O'Brien and Kevin Doyle were given their debuts against Sweden had all but guaranteed their place on the plane this time around.
Staunton will, however, have to do without two of those named in his squad, Liam Miller and Jonathan Douglas, both on the Leeds United squad who last night won through to the final of the English League Championship play-offs in Cardiff's Millenium Stadium on Sunday week at the expense of Preston.
Not chosen at all, though, were Mark Kennedy and Lee Carsley, both of whom have suggested they would be happy to return, while Gary Doherty, David Connolly and Alan Maybury are amongst the very few available players capped under Brian Kerr overlooked.
Asked about the omissions, Staunton claimed that while the door had not been closed on anybody, to enlarge the travelling party any further would have been undesirable. Still, it is hard to avoid the conclusion that those who have missed out this occasion should start getting used to life in the international wilderness.
If they need any tips on how to cope they might look up Byrne who could have been forgiven for believing his chance had passed when Kerr failed to pursue his interest in the Shelbourne striker subsequent to that lifeless draw in Bygdoszcz a couple of years back.
Since then, the 28-year-old has had to content himself with dominating the goal-scoring charts on this side of the water while showing considerable versatility when, mainly for European games, asked to play in either a withdrawn or wide role for the club.
His call up means that Shelbourne are likely to be without him for the league game with Bohemians but his manager, Pat Fenlon, nevertheless welcomed the news yesterday, observing that: "It's good for both him and the league.
"He deserves it and I'm delighted for him because I believe, and I know he does too, that he could handle playing at that level."
Staunton identified Byrne's strength in the air as key. "We can't grow big lads and it's always beneficial to be able to call on something different . . . hopefully, Jason will be able to give us something we don't already have."
Dixon, meanwhile, is clearly quite some way from challenging any of the established names for a place in the Ireland team although, at just 16, he would beat Jimmy Holmes' record for the youngest player to be capped (17 years and 200 days, against Austria back on May 30th, 1971) by more than a year if his reward for a strong showing in the recent Under-17 European Championship elite qualifying tournament was to extend to a run out against Chile on the 24th of this month.
True to form, Staunton declined to rule anything in or out but did say: "He's a talent with very good ability and also highly thought of. I've been speaking with Seán (McCaffrey) and Don (Givens) and I want to reward at least one player in each squad who they felt were progressing.
"The under-19s and under-21s have games but Dixon's done well for the under-17s - he is somebody who can play with his back to goal, he's very confident on the ball and he knows where the goal is.
"We'll take him along and show him what we're all about," he added. "If he progresses nicely we'll see the benefit in a couple of years."
Of more immediate concern are the players likely to feature against Germany in September but the manager made it clear he believes he has no concerns about the strength of the panel he is likely to have available to him after the summer.
He also played down concerns over the health of his advisor, Bobby Robson, who has had had an operation to remove a cancerous tumour, spotted after an X-ray after a skiing accident, from his lung.
"I told him not to even think of coming to Portugal but he sounded completely back to himself this morning so knowing Bobby, he'll be out trying to hire a private plane to get over there."
Republic of Ireland squad
Given (Newcastle), Kenny (Sheffield Utd), Henderson (Brighton), Breen (Sunderland), O'Brien (Portsmouth), Dunne (Manchester City), O'Brien (Bolton), Harte (Levante), Finnan (Liverpool), Lawrence (Sunderland), Kelly (Tottenham), O'Shea (Manchester Utd), Steven Reid (Blackburn), Andy Reid (Tottenham), Kavanagh (Wigan), Douglas (Leeds Utd), Lee (Cardiff), Quinn (Sheffield Utd), Doyle (Coventry), Miller (Leeds Utd), Kilbane (Everton), Duff (Chelsea), Elliott (Sunderland), Doyle (Reading), McGeady (Celtic), Dixon (Tottenham), Byrne (Shelbourne), Keane (Tottenham), Morrison (Crystal Palace).
