Stokes takes another big step

Republic of Ireland B Squad: A week after being named Scotland's Young Player of the Month for October, 18-year-old Anthony Stokes took another step on the road to what many predict will be a glittering international career when he was named in the Republic of Ireland B squad for the game against Scotland at Dalymount Park next Tuesday.

The rate at which those who went before him fell by the wayside makes it clear just how hard it is to survive the tag of Irish football's "next big thing" but the evidence so far suggest that the Dublin-born striker is well on course to live up to all the hype.

After a couple of years at Highbury, where he moved from Shelbourne, Stokes joined Falkirk on loan and has been an instant hit. After last night's League Cup match against Celtic the Irishman has now scored 10 goals from his last five games, including two hat-tricks, and the club is trying to extend his stay beyond January.

"Whether he'll stay there beyond that is a question I simply can't answer at this point," says Arsenal's youth development officer, Liam Brady. "It's been very beneficial for him to go there, though, and he has made the transition to first team football more easily than anybody could have hoped for. He is an 18-year-old boy - a young man - and he has gone to play in a very tough league and done very well."

As for his prospects at senior international level, Brady concedes Staunton may be right when he says it is still a little too early for the youngster to be thrown into the first team set-up.

"Anthony has a great chance of having a very successful international career if he keeps his head screwed on, though, and I have no doubt he will do. He's easily ready for a B international."

Stokes' inclusion is no surprise but one or two omissions may raise eyebrows with Shane Long (Reading), James O'Connor (Burnley), Jay Tabb (Coventry City) and Paul Keegan (Drogheda United) missing out.

"Look, I know there will be a lot of players out there who are playing as well as many of the lads who have been included in this squad and they'll be disappointed," said team manager Pat Devlin, "but what everyone has to understand is that from our point of view this is a process of elimination.

"The hope is to play two, maybe three B internationals a year and the idea is to look at as many players as possible over the next few games so that we can get to the stage where we know everyone and feel we have a pool of players there that we can draw on for the senior team."

Though Steve Staunton is said to have named this squad, Devlin will be in charge at Dalymount.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND 'B' SQUAD (to play Scotland 'B' Tuesday, November 14th, 2006 - Dalymount Park): Darren Randolph (Charlton Athletic), Shane Supple (Ipswich Town), Kevin Foley (Luton Town), Lewis Emanuel (Luton Town), Seán St Ledger (Preston North End), Alex Bruce (Ipswich Town), Paddy McCarthy (Leicester City), Joseph O'Cearuill (Arsenal), Darron Gibson (Royal Antwerp), Stephen McPhail (Cardiff City), Joe Gamble (Cork City), Kevin Deery (Derry City), Darren Potter (Wolves), Stephen Hunt (Reading), Alan O'Brien (Newcastle United), Lee Frecklington (Lincoln City), Anthony Stokes (Falkirk), Andy Keogh (Scunthorpe), Roy O'Donovan (Cork City), Stephen Ward (Bohemians), Billy Clarke (Ipswich Town).

Six players on the fringe

Paddy McCarthy (Leicester City): Tall and strong central defender who joined Leicester City after failing to make the breakthrough at Manchester City. Eighteen months on the Dubliner is the club captain and a popular figure. A former skipper of Irish teams at various levels, he has been pushing for a senior call-up over the last year only to see the likes of Seán St Ledger and Paul McShane move above him in the pecking order.

Lewis Emanuel (Luton Town): The 23-year-old left back joins club-mate Kevin Foley in the squad after declaring for the Republic on the basis of a grandmother who came from Co Offaly. Quick and willing to push forward when the opportunity arises, Emanuel spent six seasons at hometown club Bradford City before moving in the summer.

Joseph O'Cearuill (Arsenal): Now a highly regarded centre half who can also play in the middle of the field, O'Cearuill was previously let go by both Orient and Watford. His last game for Watford's reserves was against Arsenal, and while his performance wasn't good enough to get him kept on it did earn him a trial at the club he supported as a boy. Already an under-21 international.

Lee Frecklington (Lincoln City): A Lincoln-born midfielder who recently signed for his hometown club until 2009 despite reported interest from both Middlesbrough and Reading, he qualifies for Ireland thanks to grandparents from Sligo and Wicklow.

Still just 21, Frecklington comes "highly recommended", according to Pat Devlin, and has scored four goals in 17 appearances for the League Two side season.

Stephen Hunt (Reading): After Stephen McPhail, the oldest member of the squad at 25, Hunt has been around quite a while but has found international recognition hard to come by. An energetic attacking midfielder he more recently claimed the headlines when a challenge on Petr Cech resulted in the Chelsea goalkeeper having to undergo brain surgery.

Billy Clarke (Ipswich Town): The youngest player in the squad at just 18, Clarke has made a strong start to the season, scoring four goals in four starts and eight appearances from the bench for the Championship side. Small and quick, the Corkman has thrived playing off Alan Lee in the Ipswich attack and is rated as a very strong prospect by under-19 Ireland manager Sean McCaffrey.