The prospect of Stephen Ireland ever returning to the Ireland squad looks more remote than ever after the Stoke City midfielder had his agent ring the FAI asking to defer a face-to-face meeting with manager Martin O'Neill until July rather than take or return the northerner's calls directly.
O'Neill, who was in Waterford this afternoon to confirm a squad of 29 for the four upcoming international friendly internationals against Turkey, Italy, Costa Rica and Portugal, said that he had attempted to phone the 27-year-old on a couple of occasions but that it had simply rung out each time and that he heard nothing then until association officials had told him that the agent been in touch.
“I tried to get hold of Stephen a couple of times by phone,” he said. “I didn’t get through, that’s fine, okay, not a problem. Eventually his agent spoke to the FAI and then I spoke to the agent. It seemed to mirror what Mark Hughes was actually saying or had been saying in the papers although I hadn’t actually spoken to Mark Hughes, I don’t know whether he was a spokesman for Mark Hughes. But the truth is this: I’ve left it in a situation where I’ll not call. It’s really up to Stephen. If he wants to call me, fine.
“I assume that the games coming up here are obviously too soon for him, seemingly, I’m only surmising that. But if he wants to be involved he’ll have to call me and I’ll leave it at that.”
The squad named today is much the same as the one named the week before last with only Darren Randolph, James McCarthy and Joey O'Brien missing now from the original list of 32. O'Brien had already withdrawn and Randolph (shoulder) and McCarthy (ankle) have now been allowed to concentrate on resting up so as to be ready for their clubs' preseason training.
A new goalkeeper, most likely Brian Murphy, is set to be called up over the coming days but O'Neill seems disinclined to bring anyone else in despite the fact that there are restrictions on some of the players' availability, with Robbie Keane not travelling for the first two games; John O'Shea, whose wife has just had a baby, not going to America; and Rob Elliott not available for the Italy game due to his wedding.
Conor Sammon is also getting married and while his availability is additionally restricted by Saturday’s Championship play-off final - which also takes Richard Keogh, Jeff Hendrick and QPR’s Kevin Doyle out of the Turkey game - the Derby striker will also miss the trip to the States.
None of the Stoke City players are available for the Italy game due, in Marc Wilson’s case at least, to his brother’s wedding.
The squad will assemble on Thursday to prepare for friendlies against Turkey at the Aviva Stadium on May 25th, Italy at Fulham’s Craven Cottage on May 31st, Costa Rica in Philadelphia on June 6th and Portugal in New Jersey on June 10th.
Revised Republic of Ireland squad (29): D Forde (Millwall), R Elliot (Newcastle Utd); R Keogh (Derby County), M Wilson (Stoke City), S Coleman (Everton), J O'Shea (Sunderland), A Pearce (Reading), S Kelly (Reading), D Delaney (Crystal Palace), S Duffy (Everton), J Hendrick (Derby County), C Clark (Aston Villa), S Ward (Brighton), G Whelan (Stoke City), P Green (Leeds Utd), A McGeady (Everton), A Pilkington (Norwich City), J McClean (Wigan Athletic), S Quinn (Hull City), D Meyler (Hull City), W Hoolahan (Norwich City), R Keane (LA Galaxy), S Long (Hull City), D Murphy (Ipswich Town), J Walters (Stoke City), K Doyle (QPR), A Stokes (Celtic), S Cox (Nottingham Forest), C Sammon (Derby County).
