Republic of Ireland manager Steve Staunton has written off injured winger Damien Duff for the remainder of the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign.

Staunton, in the United States preparing for tomorrow night's friendly international against Ecuador at Giants Stadium, New Jersey, was reacting to news that Newcastle winger Duff would be ruled out for six months following foot surgery three weeks ago.

With four remaining qualifiers to go in the group, away to Slovakia and the Czech Republic in September and the visits of Cyprus and Germany in October and November respectively, that leaves Staunton with little option but to factor out such a key player from his campaign preparations.

"It's six months but it depends on when he gets the cast off. Who knows what we're looking at but it's at least five to six months," said Staunton.

"I think we'll be planning (without him) for the campaign because he'll only be regaining his fitness. If he comes back before that, brilliant for us. And if he doesn't, well, I will have planned without him."

Staunton, with a heavily depleted squad following the withdrawal of at least 25 players through injury, rest or personal commitments, said Duff's predicament underlined what an opportunity the American tour was for the players who had travelled to face Ecuador and then Bolivia on Saturday in the Boston area.

"There's 23 places (up for grabs) and over the past 12 months I've had to rely on so many bodies. That's the way it's gone for us. So anybody who's Irish and is playing on a good level and doing well comes into it."

Staunton did not name a team but said Birmingham goalkeeper Colin Doyle and Wolves midfielder Darren Potter would definitely be making their debuts in a side captained by Kevin Kilbane.

"I'm always looking for a positive performance," added the manager. "Obviously I'd love to win both games but I'm realistic at the same time and it's going to be a very difficult game. I'm looking to see how we cope with it.

"Ecuador are big, strong and quick. They like to attack and shoot from anywhere but defensively they've left themselves open a few times. We have to exploit that but we have to be mindful of how good they are going forward.

"Whatever comes from it, it's up to the players to show me, to make my life difficult for me to leave them out."

The Ireland boss did not even rule out handing an international debut to American born college student Joe Lapira, a forward, on this two-match tour.

Lapira, whose mother is from Dublin, is a star player at Notre Dame University and first came to Staunton's attention eight months ago courtesy of Lapira's uncle, who works at the FAI. Since then, Lapira has gone on to win the Hermann Trophy, awarded to the best footballer in the US collegiate system.

"He's eligible to play and he's part of the squad," said Staunton, who had initially invited Lapira to train with the squad for the week.

"He's come along and he's done very well in training considering he hasn't had any football for the last two months. I think he realises the pace we play at is a little bit quicker than what he's used to.

"I'll wait to see how it goes. I've got a few strikers as well and I'll be looking to play as many as possible. We'll just see how the games go. I can pick 11 and use only six substitutes so we'll see."

Uncapped at underage level by the United States, an international debut for the Louisiana-born forward would make him the first amateur to play for the Republic since 1964.