Friendly V Tuscany XI

http://greenscene.me/2012/05/trapatt...medium=twitter

Trap has named the team for tonights friendly

	Westwood
Foley	Dunne	Kelly	Ward
Long	Gibson	Green	Hunt
	Walters	Cox

Sounds about right, given the hungary friendly will be the one to test the first XI before croatia.

I think the fact Gibson has started again is an indication that he wont be starting against Croatia. But good to see him there all the same. I feel sorry for Long shunted out to the wing.

I assume Dunne will play a half and thats it. Getting quite worried about O'shea though, has he started training with the team yet?

From RTE last night 9pm ish

Darren O'Dea sat out Republic of Ireland training in Montecatini today, with manager Giovanni Trapattoni confirming he will be rested for tomorrow night's game against a local selection.

O'Dea has a slight thigh muscle strain and watched on as his team-mates where put through their paces at the home of fourth-tier side Borgo A Buggiano.

Covering defender Paul McShane also took no part in training as he is nursing an ankle knock.

Shay Given and John O'Shea trained separately from the main squad, with O'Shea focusing on speed and agility work.

Given went through basic goalkeeping drills before working on kicks with just his left foot to protect his right knee.

He was later seen holding an ice pack to that knee, but the manager expects him to return to training this week.

"Shay Given is alright for Wednesday (training). After tomorrow, John O'Shea will be 90% ready to play," said Trapattoni.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/inter...land-training/

Trap also stated that JOSH must play in the Hungary game if he is to feature at the euros. As relayed by a journalist on RTÉ there.

Anyone recognisable from the Tucan XI selection?

strange, reports coming out that Foley is out of the squad?

Yes, McShane is #13. Foley has obviously had a recurrence of his injury, unfortunately.

McShane named in squad ahead of Foley
Updated: Tuesday, 29 May 2012 11:25
• Comments

Paul McShane has been included in Giovanni Trapattoni's squad
Paul McShane has been named in the Republic of Ireland's Euro 2012 squad with Kevin Foley omitted.
Manager Giovanni Trapattoni said: "With the injuries that we experienced in the squad over the past week, I have had to make a tough decision when it comes to naming the 23 players that must be submitted to UEFA for the championship.
"Kevin Foley, John O’Shea, Paul McShane, Darren O’Dea, Shay Given had all been carrying knocks and we have been monitoring them closely in their recovery.
"Although Kevin has been recovering well, I have made the difficult decision to leave him out of the 23 player list after completing fitness tests on John O’Shea and Paul Mc Shane this morning. I have spoken to him and understand how difficult it is, saying that he can remain with the squad if he wishes.”
More to follow.
Republic of Ireland squad numbers:
1 Shay Given
2 Sean St Ledger
3 Stephen Ward
4 John O’Shea
5 Richard Dunne
6 Glenn Whelan
7 Aiden McGeady
8 Keith Andrews
9 Kevin Doyle
10 Robbie Keane
11 Damien Duff
12 Stephen Kelly
13 Paul Mc Shane
14 Jonathan Walters
15 Darron Gibson
16 Keiren Westwood
17 Stephen Hunt
18 Darren O'Dea
19 Shane Long
20 Simon Cox
21 Paul Green
22 James McClean
23 David Forde

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

strange, reports coming out that Foley is out of the squad?

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

Yes, McShane is #13. Foley has obviously had a recurrence of his injury, unfortunately.

It's strange in the fact that he's starting tonights game but not fit enough for the squad? Coleman and Keogh are next on the standby list.

I can't see any reason for that other than his injury hasn't cleared up as expected. Otherwise Trap is just a ruthless MF.

Any link to this match anywhere?

I think Foley's tentatively fit, and possibly would make it, but with knocks to three starting defenders, Trap has opted for extra cover at CB. If he was a more senior member, Foley may have gotten more time. Very unlucky and pretty ruthless as mentioned - but Trap did say he wouldn't be taking fitness risks, even if I suspect there's one rule for starters (O'Shea, Dunne) and another for others.

Will he still play tonight? Noticed reports said Foley has been invited to stay with the squad, but no indication whether he has chosen to do this.

He'd be a fool not to stay given the injury situation.

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

He'd be a fool not to stay given the injury situation.

Won't matter now. Can't make any changes after today (except to goalkeepers if they're injured)

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

He'd be a fool not to stay given the injury situation.

Fair point though would Trap consider a fully fit Coleman or someone else if he's really concerned about fitness?

Originally Posted by joe_denilson

Coleman and Keogh are next on the standby list.

If it's defenders we're looking, don't rule out Damien Delaney. Trap name-checked him as someone who was alerted last week about joining the squad along with Green.

Originally Posted by Dodge

Won't matter now. Can't make any changes after today (except to goalkeepers if they're injured)

Reports indicate changes can be made up until the morning of the Croatia game for any injured player.

Swan is correct from what I've heard.

You can definitely make changes up until the first game, but they have to be seen by 2 UEFA doctors.

To me it seems like he hasn't liked what hes seen of Foley on the training ground and made the decision to replace him. With the question marks around JOS's fitness its obviously raised the importance of the covering fullbacks moreso then perhaps when the squad was first named. Harsh on him if it wasn't fitness related because he was probably led to believe he was going.

In retrospect Trap probably should have announced an extended squad including the standbys given the fitness doubts around JOS, Foley and Fahey and cut people as he saw fit when the deadline arose.

The trouble with an extended squad is the effect it has on moral when some people get the bad news.

McShane and Green will be fit, and were sure to be bouncing when they arrived.

Yeah, I remember Trap saying something to the effect that he specifically avoided naming an extended squad to provide certainty from the outset and ensure the players are comfortable.

Originally Posted by French Toasht

Anyone recognisable from the Tucan XI selection?

Techincally, it is Province of Pistoia XI

Goalkeepers:Tommaso Strambi (Borgo a Buggiano), Francesco Gaffino (Pistoiese)

Defenders: Alessandro Di Stefano (Borgo a Buggiano), Francesco Lotti (Terme Montecatini), Francesco Calanchi (Pistoiese), Federico Settepassi (Borgo a Buggiano), Massimo Tarli (Lampo)

Defenders/Midfielders: Matteo Baldaccini (Lampo), Roberto Scaffai (Ponte Buggianese), Lorenzo Pollini (Borgo a Buggiano)

Central Midfielders: Thomas Cortese (Pistoiese), Samuele Ceciarini (Pistoiese), Mirko Maretti (Borgo a Buggiano), Federico Pellegrini (Monsummano), Mirko Borracchini (Terme Montecatini), Claudio Santini (Borgo a Buggiano)

Forwards: Mariano Taddeucci (Pistoiese), Gianluca Bugelli (Pistoiese), Lorenzo Romani (Terme Montacatini), Simone Pisani (Terme Montecatini), Gabriele Cerri (PesciaUzzanese), Tommaso Pieroni (PesciaUzzanese)