Dolan calls for National League involvement
Pat Dolan has called on Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy to create a 'B' international side that would face an eircom League representative team on the eve of full international matches.
The St Patrick's Athletic boss made the call in his weekly column in The Star newspaper. He was reacting to the number of substitutions McCarthy made during the senior friendly against Russia last week.
The Ireland manager made 12 replacements during the game, giving each of his 23 players an outing. Some pundits claim the substitutions devalued the game, but despite the changes, Ireland still ran out 2-0 winners.
"The fact is people want to get a game," said Dolan. "Players don't want to spend their time on the bench.
"My solution is to set up an Ireland B team who could play an eircom League select on a Tuesday evening. Not only would it reward league players, but it would also provide us with a useful gauge to see where we would stand in relation to the international scene.
"If you had a decent venue, then it could generate some much needed income. This isn't just a PR exercise - this is a useful football exercise."
Such a game would clash with Under-21 games, which traditionally take place the evening before a senior match, but alternative arrangements could be made if the idea were to catch on.
setanta.com
