KEVIN DOYLE was notable by his absence when the Republic of Ireland squad turned up for training at Arsenal’s London Colney complex yesterday. Manager Giovanni Trapattoni later confirmed the Reading striker will miss this Friday’s friendly against Nigeria at Fulham and, more significantly, Saturday week’s World Cup qualifying game away to Bulgaria.
Despite his club initially putting a four-to-six-week estimate on Doyle’s recovery after he damaged a calf in the play-off against Burnley this month, Trapattoni had been reluctant to give up on the player for Sofia. Doyle, though, failed to come through light training at his club, which leaves his manager now seeking a Plan B.
He had hinted when he named his squad that Caleb Folan would start alongside Robbie Keane against Bulgaria if Doyle had to withdraw, but the Hull City striker stayed behind at his club yesterday to receive treatment for “a slightly sore knee”.
He will miss the Nigeria game, and won’t join the squad until Monday. But Trapattoni insists the knock is only minor and he is confident Folan will be fit for the crucial qualifying game.
Shay Given played only a minor part in training, nursing a sore hip after Manchester City’s final game of the season on Sunday. But the manager suggested he had plans any way to give the Donegal man’s understudy, Kieron Westwood, a run-out against Nigeria.
And a few more of his senior players may not play at all.
“The players are a little bit tired, I need to check their condition and mentality before picking my team for Nigeria,” Trapattoni said. “Damien Duff, for example, I thought yesterday he was a little bit sad – well, certainly not happy! But I spoke with him, I said football is like this,” he said, referring to Newcastle’s relegation.
“He score in the other goal,” he smiled, referring to Duff’s own goal that decided the game against Aston Villa. “Maybe I need to speak to him again. Maybe I will give him a little bit of a rest, or maybe he play one half.”
The uncapped quartet of Seán St Ledger, Eddie Nolan (both Preston North End), Leon Best (Coventry City) and Liam Lawrence (Stoke City), all of whom trained yesterday, are, said Trapattoni, likely to play part of Friday’s game, with Lawrence the focus of much of the manager’s attention during the session. “I believe he can enrich our squad,” he said.
They weren’t, though, his first words to the 27-year-old winger when they met this week.
“He said ‘I saw the Arsenal game (on Sunday – Arsenal won 4-1) – you were rubbish’,” Lawrence laughed.
Did he mean you or Stoke generally? “I don’t know yet! But he saw me play before when, luckily, I did well. But when I met him and shook his hand it was a good first moment, it will stay with me. He’s a legend, isn’t he?
“I’m just delighted to be back in the squad. It was just a question of keeping my head down and waiting for my chance. But I was beginning to think it wasn’t meant to be.”
Lawrence, who was first called up by Steve Staunton without winning a cap, has had international ambitions thwarted by injury, one of which interrupted his season with Stoke. When he returned, though, his form played no small part in their survival.
“I came back quite strong, I didn’t want the season to end. We surprised quite a few people, but it will be harder next year, second-season syndrome and all that. But we relished being the underdog, every minute of it.
“Now I just want to push on with Ireland – it’s been frustrating so far, when it finally looked like I’d get my chance the injury ruined it for me, but if I get the chance now, well, it’s up to me to take it.”
What would you bring to the team? “Well, I believe I’ve got good quality on the ball, I’m good on set-pieces, which is a big part of Stoke’s game. I’d be lying if I said I had pace – let’s be honest, I’m not lightning quick – but I think I can bring a different dimension to the team. We’re in a fantastic position now in the group and I would love to play my part in keeping it going.”
His first chance should, finally, come on Friday.
