HAVING LOST Steve Finnan to injury ahead of Wednesday’s World Cup qualifier against Georgia, Giovanni Trapattoni may yet be without Paul McShane due to a hamstring problem that has kept him out of Sunderland’s last two games.
Finnan, who has suffered one setback after another since moving to Spain last summer, also has a hamstring injury and informed the FAI over the weekend he is not fit to play. But the fact McShane travelled home came as a boost given his difficulties at club level.
Trapattoni has called Eddie Nolan (20) into his squad as cover at right back, although Kevin Foley and Stephen Kelly are presumably ahead of the Preston player in the pecking order. The manager anticipates having a much better idea of whether McShane will make it over the next 24 hours.
“At the moment we don’t know,” said the manager. “He said today that he would train but the doctor said no. Maybe tomorrow we can make a decision. We will see what the doctor says then.”
Nolan said he was surprised but delighted by the call-up.
“I would say it is the highlight of my career so far, definitely,” remarked the young defender from Waterford, who has done well at Preston since moving there, initially on loan, from Blackburn Rovers.
As it happens, the new arrival also had to sit out yesterday’s training session along with Kevin Doyle, after the pair took knocks during Saturday’s game between Preston and Reading. In Doyle’s case the injury came as a result of a collision with Preston goalkeeper Andy Lonergan early in the match. “Their goalie pulverised me and I was actually unconscious for a few seconds. I played on because I didn’t know any better and I was taken off after 70 minutes, probably because I was a bit dozy,” said the striker last night. “I’ve still got a bit of a headache from it but hopefully, I’ll be OK to train tomorrow.”
Darron Gibson, Robbie Keane and John OShea were all due in last night and the coach ruled out any other late call-ups, saying he is happy with the group that will be available ahead of Ireland’s fourth game of the campaign.
Keane, he said, will benefit from returning to an environment where he gets to play in the first team regularly, but the Italian steered clear of criticising Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez over his treatment of the striker.
He was clearly pleased, too, by Shay Given’s impressive debut for Manchester City over weekend and suggested the Donegalman could still have a decade of top level football ahead of him.
