SOCCER:FIRST THERE were "staycations", which are all the rage these somewhat difficult days across the Atlantic. Now, the FAI is to pioneer the "staytrainingcamp" with Giovanni Trapattoni set to gather around 20 young and peripheral players next month in north Dublin where there will be plenty of sea breezes but rather less sun, one suspects, than is normally associated with end-of-season get-togethers.

The FAI insisted yesterday the move was not prompted either by financial restraints or a desire to give any new recruits a quick taste of life in the troubled land of their ancestors, with a spokesman maintaining that invitations from abroad had been received, weighed up and rejected as less desirable than a few days of Malahide in May. Whether the players agree remains to be seen.

The decision has presumably come as something of a disappointment to Trapattoni who had expressed some confidence back in February that he and a development squad would be jetting off for a spot of warm-weather training. That certainly seems something of a long shot now.

The Italian had suggested money would not be an issue as the economics of the trip would be based on a host providing accommodation and facilities, most likely in return for a game or two against the Irish players.

Even this was a slightly altered model from the now hopelessly outdated 2008 one which involved a property company, hoping to sell holiday homes to cash-rich Irish punters, signing up as a sponsor of the association.

Some invitations did still come in according to the organisation and options involving venues in Corsica and Spain were apparently examined then rejected for unspecified reasons. The upshot is that a few Irish footballers are about to get their very first taste of senior international football not far from the Costa Del Sutton. One or two, at least, will feel very much at home.

The camp will take place from May 16th (the day after the FA Cup final) to 21st which will allow most Premier League players a week’s break after the end of the season.

The Championship play-off final is the following weekend which could affect the availability of a number of potential squad members but it would be hoped that most of those who have been viewed as knocking on Trapattoni’s door over the last year or so will get the chance to impress.

The likes of Birmingham City’s Keith Fahey, David Meyler of Sunderland, Owen Garvan from Ipswich and Stephen Ward of Wolves should all be in contention for inclusion while some players who were part of the squad for the recent friendly against Brazil in London – like James McCarthy of Wigan and Portsmouth’s Marc Wilson – may also feature.

There will, it is said however, only be a small overlap between this squad and the one that is assembled subsequently for the friendly internationals against Paraguay and Algeria at the RDS on May 25th and 28th respectively.

Some younger players may be asked to spend the entire 10-day period with the squad but for the most part, it is expected the more established stars will replace the departing youngsters.

It is not yet clear whether Trapattoni will be in a position to name any of the English-born players that have been mentioned in connection with possible declarations for the Republic. Speculation has continued about possible switches by the likes of Newcastle’s Kevin Nolan, who has recently been named the Championship’s Player of the Year, Jamie O’Hara of Portsmouth and even Sunderland’s Anton Ferdinand.

There has been nothing to suggest, however, that any has made a firm decision to avail of last year’s Fifa rule changes and O’Hara has suggested he will not by revealing that he is still anxious to represent England at senior level should the opportunity arise.

There is likely to be a couple of training games scheduled for the development squad. It is possible that a couple of League of Ireland clubs in the Dublin area could be asked to provide the opposition.

The two squads are expected to be announced over the coming weeks when Andy Reid will get an indication of just where he stands in the Ireland manager’s eyes. The certain absence of Stephen Hunt due to injury and the likely absence of a few other established players from the senior squad would present an opportunity to bring him back into the fold.

Trapattoni could, on the other hand, call him into the development squad, thereby testing the player’s willingness to submit himself to something of a humiliation in atonement for missing the trip to the Algarve two years ago. Reid declared himself unfit to travel on that occasion but the Italian has previously hinted he might not have been entirely convinced by the reasons provided for the Dubliner’s non appearance.