SOCCER:NORWICH TRIO Wes Hoolahan, Anthony Pilkington and Marc Tierney are all in the frame for the Euro 2012 finals next summer, according to Republic of Ireland assistant manager Marco Tardelli.
Giovanni Trapattoni is weighing up all options over the make-up of his final 23-man squad for Poland and Ukraine, and Tardelli was at Carrow Road for the Arsenal match last Saturday.
Hoolahan’s solitary cap was in 2008 for a friendly against Colombia, while former Huddersfield winger Pilkington (23) has played for the Under-21s and full-back Tierney (26) is also eligible.
Tardelli revealed all three were on Ireland’s radar and could feature in an upcoming friendly in February, the opposition for which has not yet been announced.
“We follow all players and we decide, Giovanni decides, when will be the right moment,” Tardelli said in the Norwich Evening News.
“Maybe it is possible they could play in the friendly, but I cannot say for sure. They know that we follow them, if they play everything is possible.”
Tardelli added: “The Norwich team they are good players also Pilkington and Tierney is a good player.
“For us and the international team it is very good because they are young players for the future.”
Tardelli has been impressed by Hoolahan’s development, the 29-year-old being an integral part of Norwich’s double promotion back to the top flight under Paul Lambert.
“I know him (Hoolahan) from two or three years ago when we arrived in Ireland. He is a good player, good quality, a skilful player and I think now more experienced than three years ago,” Tardelli added.
“He can play in midfield but he can also play as the second striker. He sometimes plays in this position for Norwich which I think is good.”
FA COULD INTRODUCE GOAL-LINE TECHNOLOGY FOR 2012-13 SEASON
FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION general secretary Alex Horne has said goal-line technology could be used in the Premier League as early as next season.
Horne believes that ongoing tests into the accuracy of various goal-line systems could be completed, and given Fifa approval, in time for the start of the 2012-13 campaign.
“It’s possible we could see [goal-line technology] in the Premier League as early as 2012-13,” he said.
“It’s easy to make mistakes and we’ve all seen examples where the referee and assistant referee can’t see if a ball has crossed the line or not. We need to support them in decision-making.”
Horne’s assertions are at odds with comments he made just last month, however, when he claimed the testing would not be completed in time.
Nine systems are being tested by a Fifa-employed authority with a final decision on which system might be used due to be made by the game’s law-makers on the eve of next season in July.
Horne admitted that the tight turnaround could prohibit the introduction for next season, adding: “Whether there is enough time for the technology to be bought, paid for and put into any league or competition for next season, I’m not sure.
“It would be really tight – but it might be possible for next season.”
One of the systems on trial, ‘Goalminder’, was analysed in front of Fifa’s testers at League One club Rochdale’s Spotland home ground last night.
