McCarthy puts squad on standby

Republic Of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy stopped just short of naming himself in yesterday's preliminary squad for this month's friendly international against Croatia.

Having resisted the temptation to include his own name in the list, however, he appears to have used the opportunity to send a reminder to just about everybody who might harbour hopes of playing for their country that the door remains open.

In all 39 players are included in a panel which seems to serve little more purpose than to alert those involved that they may be actually called up for the game.

That, of course, and to generate a little publicity for a game which the FAI could do with selling out given their present financial circumstances.

Crystal Palace striker Clinton Morrison, Leeds United's Stephen McPhail and Andy O'Brien of Newcastle United all received reassurances that McCarthy is keeping an eye on their progress.

And there is encouragement too for Phil Babb, who is named after having been ignored since his arrest prior to last year's World Cup qualifier in Amsterdam, as well as for Millwall's Stephen Reid, who performed so well for the under-21 side at the end of last season.

McCarthy says that he will use Wednesday week's game to have a look at a number of the options open to him ahead of next month's crucial home game against the Dutch and has already confirmed that Morrison is to make his senior debut.

The number of opportunities available to other peripheral players may depend to a large extent to the number of more established figures who end up missing the game due to injury or unavailability. That may become a major factor for McCarthy with one prominent Premiership manager, Gerard Houllier, having already criticised the timing of this month's programme of international friendlies.

With that in mind the Ireland boss will delay naming his 22-man squad until the weekend immediately before the match.

Glen Crowe, meanwhile, will be one of four Bohemians players who go into action for a Dublin City selection against Leeds United at Tolka Park just a day after returning from Sweden.

City manager John McDonnell has lined up a string of guest players from clubs in and around the capital for tonight's game for which some tickets are still available from the club at 837 7777.

Shaun Maher, Mark Rutherford, Richie Foran and Eddie Gormley are amongst the other prominent National League stars expected to link up with the new look Dublin City squad for the one-off game.

Leeds have brought a strong squad to Dublin for the game with Irish internationals Gary Kelly, Robbie Keane and Stephen McPhail all included in David O'Leary's panel.

The Squad

Republic of Ireland (Squad v Croatia): Given (Newcastle), Kelly (Blackburn), Kiely (Charlton), Colgan (Hibernian); Kelly (Leeds), Staunton (Aston Villa), Harte (Leeds), Breen (Coventry), Finnan (Fulham), Dunne (Man City), Cunningham (Wimbledon), Doherty and Carr (Spurs), Maybury (Leeds), O'Brien (Newcastle), O'Shea (Manchester Utd), Quinn (Coventry), Babb (Sporting Lisbon); Keane (Manchester Utd), Kinsella (Charlton), Carsley (Coventry), McAteer (Blackburn), Holland (Ipswich), Kilbane (Sunderland), Delap (Southampton), Kennedy (Wolves), O'Neill (Middlesbrough), Reid (Millwall), McPhail (Leeds), Kavanagh (Cardiff City), Mahon (Blackburn), Duff (Blackburn), Farrelly (Bolton); Quinn (Sunderland), Robbie Keane (Leeds), Connolly (Wimbledon), Morrison (Crystal Palace), Foley (Watford), Crowe (Bohemians).