Giovanni Trapattoni held his first training session in Malahide today after his 22-man Republic of Ireland squad reported for duty before they depart for a six-day training camp in Portugal tomorrow.
The squad met at the team hotel in Portmarnock before the Italian put them through their paces for an hour-and-a-half at Gannon Park in nearby Malahide. The manager had no injury worries to report.
"I met the squad today and we had a good training session in Malahide," said Trapattoni. "The players have had a little bit of time off and it was good to get them going again.
"I am very pleased with the application of the players and I explained to them that this period of time together will give me an opportunity to get to know the players and it will give them a chance to get to know my methods.
"From this point of view it went very well."
The squad will train again at Gannon Park tomorrow morning from 10.30am before they depart for Portugal from Dublin at 5pm.When in the Algarve they will also play two local Portuguese teams.
When they return the Republic take on Serbia in a friendly at Croke Park on Saturday, May 24th before travelling to London to play Colombia at Fulham's Craven Cottage ground on Thursday, May 29th.
