Andy Reid's future under Giovanni Trapattoni's reign as Republic of Ireland manager suffered another blow today after the Sunderland midfielder was left out of the 23-man panel for the friendly international against Poland at Croke Park on Wednesday week.
Reid has yet to take the field since Trapattoni took over and today's news puts him further down the pecking order, despite the fact the 26-year-old Dubliner has earned a recall to the Sunderland team for last Saturday's Premier League clash with Portsmouth.
Despite losing that game 2-1, Reid played a part in his side's goal, playing a brilliant through ball for Djibril Cisse to put the Black Cats into an early lead.
Reid expressed his relief at making just his second start since August. He said: "I was delighted to play, because it's been a while. I just had to wait for my chance and I feel I've taken it. I feel I've contributed and done well.
"It was nice to show people what I can do. If it's not difficult for players when the team sheet goes up and their name is not on it, then they shouldn't really be professional footballers.
"It's about dealing with it in the right way, keeping positive and believing your chance will come. The manager doesn't have to explain himself to anybody. He makes the decisions and it's up to him, like it or lump it. Rightly so, he's the manager.
"You go through tough times in football and, over the last couple of months, it's been a tough time for me, but I'm a strong person to deal with it and a good enough footballer."
Not good enough in the eyes of Trapattoni, who believes that players must suit his system first and foremost. The Italian has set out his stall with two holding players, with the wingers doing all the attacking from midfield.
Reid's exclusion may bring to a head an issue that has underpinned most of the analysis of Trapattoni's regime. There were rumours of a bust-up between the pair at the time of Ireland's game against Georgia in Mainz, while the manager was quick to get agitated when reporters constantly brought up the subject of his exclusion before the Cyprus game.
Trapattoni has also left out Bolton's Joey O'Brien, who recently threatened to walk away from international football as he felt frustrated with his lack of opportunities.
Hamilton's teenage sensation James McCarthy failed to win a call-up this time, with Trapattoni likely to give Blackburn Rovers' Keith Andrews his first cap against Poland after impressing the in last month's 'B' game against Nottingham Forest.
Trapattoni has included nine of the side that started in that game, with Andrews being joined by fellow midfielders Darron Gibson and Andy Keogh.
IRELAND (Squad for friendly v Poland, November 19th Croke Park)
Goalkeepers:S Given (Newcastle United), D Kiely (West Brom), J Murphy (Scunthorpe Utd).
Defenders:P McShane (Hull City), J O'Shea (Manchester United), R Dunne (Manchester City), K Kilbane (Wigan Ath), A Bruce (Ipswich Town), D Delaney (QPR), K Foley (Wolves).
Midfielders:A McGeady (Celtic), K Andrews (Blackburn Rovers), Darron Gibson (Manchester Utd), G Whelan (Stoke City), D Duff (Newcastle Utd), S Hunt (Reading), L Miller (Sunderland), A Keogh (Wolves).
Forwards:Robbie Keane (Liverpool), K Doyle (Reading), A Stokes (Sheffield Utd), C Folan (Hull City), S Long (Reading)
