INTERNATIONAL SOCCER: WHILE LAST week's 3-0 defeat to Australia in Limerick appeared to be weighing heavily on his mind, Giovanni Trapattoni has kept faith with the same 24 players who were on duty at Thomond Park, naming an unchanged squad yesterday for the World Cup qualifying game against Cyprus (September 5th) and the friendly against South Africa three days later. :

There were, then, no surprise call-ups by the Italian, with Blackburn Rovers midfielder Stephen Reid, on the advice of his club doctor, deemed not yet ready to return to the international fold.

When asked if he considered bringing players such as Clinton Morrison (Coventry City), Chris McCann (Burnley) or Keith Fahey (Birmingham City) into his squad Trapattoni responded with an emphatic “no”. He declared himself to be content with those already familiar with his system, even if, like midfielders Darron Gibson (Manchester United) and Liam Miller (yet to find a club), some of his players have yet to play any first-team football this season.

“Never say never,” he smiled when referring to Morrison, who has started the season with three goals in as many league games, but he was less enthusiastic about the prospects, for now at least, of McCann and Fahey earning a senior call-up, despite the fact that they have been starting for their Premier League clubs.

Did they not have a case for inclusion? “You knows these players?” he asked his questioner.

“Yes.”

“Chris McCann? Which position would you play him in?”

“Centre midfield or on the left.”

“How many games have you seen these players? McCann, against Manchester United, he touched the ball four times in 90 minutes. Did you see the game?”

“Yes.”

“I saw the game two times. Maybe we look at it together? I am not focusing on him in particular, but this player, for example, does not have the same qualities or characteristics as, say, (Glenn) Whelan, (Keith) Andrews, Gibson, Reid or Miller.”

Trapattoni became even more animated when it was put to him that his critics alleged he had not tried hard enough to encourage Stephen Ireland to end his international exile, because the Manchester City midfielder would not fit into his system. “This is their opinion,” he said. “I met him, I spoke with him two months ago. I know the critics’ job is difficult, it is not easy to write every day, but you cannot say that your opinion is my opinion. Let’s compare notes. I have played every system – 3-5-2, 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 4-2-1-2 – and I have been involved in football for 40 years. I change – thank God, I have won a couple of matches.”

Trapattoni is due to attend today’s game between Manchester City and Wolves, which could feature as many as seven Irish players. When asked if he would attempt to speak directly with the Cork man after the match he smiled and said: “I must speak with his manager. I wait for a clear signal from him. My feeling is 50-50 that he will return. But I am always positive. He can overcome whatever happened in the past.

“I always ask myself why he gave up, what was the reason? I think he had a lot of weight on his shoulders, but when you are young you can get over things. But I cannot force him back.”

Have you watched him this season? “Yes, of course. I saw his goal (against Blackburn). Beautiful,” he smiled, re-enacting Ireland’s composure in the box before he slotted the ball between Paul Robinson and the goalkeeper’s left post. The smile was so broad it suggested that Trapattoni may be seeking out the midfielder for a chat today.

The manager began his press conference by addressing the performance against Australia, admitting that a repeat in Nicosia of that night’s first-half display would make for a very long evening.

“The right mentality was missing – in Cyprus we cannot afford to do this. For us every (qualifying) game is a World Cup final now, only with the right mentality will we go to South Africa.” “But we have to trust ourselves and have confidence, that is the mentality we need. This group is like arm-wrestling, it is difficult.”

Ireland squad

Given(Manchester City)

Westwood(Coventry City)

Murphy(Scunthorpe Utd)

O'Shea(Manchester Utd)

Foley(Wolves)

Dunne(Manchester City)

Kelly(Fulham)

Kilbane(Hull City)

Nolan(Preston NE)

St Ledger( Preston NE)

McGeady(Celtic)

Duff(Fulham)

Gibson(Manchester Utd)

Whelan(Stoke City)

Andrews(Blackburn Rovers)

Miller(Unattached)

Hunt(Hull City)

Keogh(Wolves)

Lawrence(Stoke City)

Folan(Hull City)

Doyle(Wolves)

Keane(Tottenham Hotspur)

Long(Reading)

Best(Coventry City)