Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar has been included in a 31-man Netherlands squad for the friendly international against the Republic of Ireland at Lansdowne Road on Wednesday, August 16th after deciding to continue playing with the Dutch team until the end of their Euro 2008 campaign.
The 35-year-old, who has been his country's undisputed first choice in goal for more than a decade, had hinted he would retire at the end of the World Cup. But the former Ajax and Juventus player confirmed yesterday he had a rethink while on holidays.
"I've decided that I'll keep on playing for Holland," he said in a statement released through his website. "First, all the qualification matches for the EC 2008 in Austria and Switzerland and then hopefully the tournament itself.
"It took a while before I was able to make the decision," he continued. "After the elimination against Portugal during the World Cup it took me a while before I got over it. Longer than I expected. On my holiday in Spain I started to feel better and I started thinking about my international career.
"I was ready for another year with Manchester United . . . to train again with the rest of the team. I imagined how it would be to stop playing for Holland and it didn't feel good at all."
Van der Sar's decision meant the Dutch coach Marco van Basten was in a position to name 22 of the players he brought to Germany. The former skipper Phillip Cocu, who has stood by his decision to retire from the game at this level, is the only one of the 23 to have departed.
Included in the squad despite his reported falling-out with the coach in the build-up to the World Cup game with Portugal is the newly-signed Real Madrid striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.
The player was left on the bench even as the Dutch desperately chased the game in Nuremberg, and there had been much speculation that the breakdown in their relationship might prompt Van Nistelrooy's departure from the international fold.
Van Basten said yesterday he expected to cut his squad significantly between now and the end of next week, but having named a considerable number of young players from the Dutch league, he has plenty of room for manoeuvre.
The Ireland manager, Steve Staunton, will name his squad for the game next Tuesday.
Terrace tickets are available from the FAI priced €24 and €20 for adults and €5 for children. A small number of stand tickets are expected to go on sale during the build-up to the game.
Ireland under-21 manager Don Givens, meanwhile, has handed Manchester United's Darron Gibson his first call-up at this level for the European Championship qualifier against Greece in Athens, which also takes place on the evening of August 16th.
Four Eircom League players make what is a strong squad.
After the Greek match, the Irish will play Belgium at Terryland Park on September 1st, the top side in the three-team table progressing to a play-off for a place at next summer's European Championship in Holland.
DUTCH SENIOR SQUAD: Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax), Henk Timmer (Feyenoord), Edwin van der Sar (Manchester United); Urby Emanuelson, John Heitinga (both Ajax), Tim de Cler, Kew Jaliens, Joris Mathijsen, Gijs Luirink, Barry Opdam (all AZ Alkmaar), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Barcelona), Ron Vlaar (Feyenoord), Khalid Boulahrouz (Hamburg), Jan Kromkamp (Liverpool), Andre Ooijer (PSV Eindhoven); Hedwiges Maduro, Wesley Sneijder (both Ajax), Stijn Schaars (AZ), Mark van Bommel (Barcelona), Nigel de Jong, Rafael van der Vaart (both Hamburg), George Boateng (Middlesbrough), Denny Landzaat (Wigan); Ryan Babel, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (both Ajax), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Arjen Robben (Chelsea), Romeo Castelen, Dirk Kuyt (both Feyenoord), Ruud van Nistelrooy (Real Madrid), Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink (PSV Eindhoven).
IRISH UNDER-21 SQUAD: Colin Doyle (Birmingham City), Darren Randolph (Charlton Athletic); Kevin Foley (Luton Town), Paul McShane (Manchester United), Alex Bruce (Birmingham City), Marcos Painter (Birmingham City), Darren O'Dea (Celtic); Glenn Whelan (Sheffield Wednesday), Willo Flood (Manchester City), Paul Keegan (Drogheda United), Michael Timlin (Fulham), Darron Gibson (Manchester United), Kevin Deery (Derry City), Roy O'Donovan (Cork City); Jay Tabb (Coventry City), Andy Keogh (Scunthorpe United), Stephen Ward (Bohemians), Anthony Stokes (Arsenal).
