REPUBLIC OF IRELAND SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT:GIOVANNI Trapattoni's determination that Ireland will play to its strengths in the forthcoming World Cup campaign was underlined yesterday at the press conference where he named the 21 players that will travel with him to Portugal on Friday and the seven who will join up for the international games that follow.

When asked whether he wanted the Republic to employ a more continental style, the Italian did not wait for the translation and none was needed by the media either as, with growing exasperation, he exclaimed, "No, no, no, no, no".

The former Italy boss reckons the Irish need to work smarter rather than harder. Many of the players, he observed, "keep running even when they don't get anywhere near the ball".

He can, he says, with time "get an extra 20 or 30 per cent out of the players", addressing weaknesses without losing what he sees as the team's unique qualities.

"We have to play fast, but think about it," he remarked, "not make big changes. That's the difference between league football and international football. International is about our mentality against their mentality. We play our game, they play theirs."

The little things, he insisted, can make all the difference, minor errors having repeatedly proved costly for Ireland in the last campaign, and he again cited Greece as an example of how spectacular rewards can be when you get things right. They won the European title "with three free-kicks and a corner", he said. "One zero, one zero, one zero, one zero."

His confidence is certainly impressive. Privately, though, he must be disappointed more of the men likely to be on the pitch when the competitive games start in the autumn will not be on the plane to Faro on Friday. Still, he insisted he is glad to have the opportunity to mould the next generation.

"The younger ones are hungry, they want to learn, they do what I want," he said. "The famous, they know already - a little bit."

Among the uncapped players who will have the opportunity to impress between now and the end of the month are Glenn Whelan of Stoke, Wes Hoolahan of Blackpool and Damien Delaney of QPR.

"The next two weeks are important," said Trapattoni. "I know the famous players. I will use Portugal to find out what the young players think, how they train and how they play."

And the Italian had reassuring words for those omitted, insisting he and his assistants will continue to cast the net wide, rewarding those who do well regardless of reputation.

Steve Finnan, he confirmed, is set to return and he expressed confidence and optimism Andy O'Brien would do the same.

But when Stephen Ireland was, inevitably, mentioned he sounded no better than hopeful. He recalled that after attempting to entice the 21-year-old Manchester City midfielder with the prospect of a fresh international start, "he looked at me without replying, but I'm sure I made an impression, that I got my message across".

Pressed on how other players viewed the prospect of Ireland returning, Trapattoni conceded it might take careful handling, but suggested, light-heartedly, he was well qualified to oversee the reintegration having brought the notoriously difficult Antonio Cassano into the Italian squad.

"We had another player, like Ireland - Cassano. He was a little bit difficult. Cassano, he was a different character, but (laughing) it was a different story, I think he was from Naples.

"It was very difficult for the dressingroom to accept Cassano, but he was very important to the team so I had to speak with the squad. It was very important."

The unmistakable message then was that a way back from the wilderness will be smoothed for Ireland. If only he ever chooses to take it.

Republic of Ireland Squad

Goalkeepers

Colin Doyle ... Birmingham City, 1 cap

Dean Kiely ... West Brom, 8 caps

Joe Murphy ... Scunthorpe Utd, 1 caps

Defenders

Alex Bruce ... Ipswich Town, 1 cap

Damien Delaney ... QPR, no cap

Richard Dunne* ... Manchester City, 40 caps

Kevin Foley ... Wolves, no cap

Stephen Kelly ... Birmingham City, 10 caps

Paul McShane ... Sunderland, 9 caps

Darren O'Dea* ... Celtic, no caps

John O'Shea* ... Man United, 44 caps

Midfielders

Damien Duff ... Newcastle United, 67 caps

Owen Garvan ... Ipswich Town, no caps

Wesley Hoolahan ... Blackpool, no caps

Stephen Hunt ... Reading, 10 caps

Aiden McGeady* ... Celtic, 17 caps

Stephen McPhail** ... Cardiff City, 10 caps

Liam Miller ... Sunderland, 16 caps

Darren Potter ... Wolves, 5 caps

Andy Reid ... Sunderland, 27 caps

Martin Rowlands ... QPR, 3 caps

Sean Scannell** ... Crystal Palace, no cap

Glenn Whelan ... Stoke City, no cap

Forwards

Kevin Doyle ... Reading, 16 caps

Robbie Keane* ... Tottenham, 79 caps

Andy Keogh ... Wolves, 5 caps

Shane Long ... Reading, 7 caps

Daryl Murphy ... Sunderland, 6 caps

*will link up with the squad only for the matches against Serbia and Colombia.

**will link up with the squad when current club commitments are completed.