The Ireland squad has held its first training session under the new management team of Martin O'Neill and Roy Keane, with a large media contingent in attendance.
County Derry born O'Neill was confirmed as successor to Giovanni Trapattoni last week. His assistant organised much of today's session ahead of Friday night's friendly against Latvia at the Aviva Stadium.
Keane wasted little time in making his presence felt this morning, with the 42-year-old arriving at Ireland's training base in Malahide a full 90 minutes before manager Martin O'Neill and his players were due to begin work.
Keane went straight on to the training pitch to ensure everything was in place for the start of the morning session and then inspected the nearby gym facilities.
O'Neill arrived on the team coach and he and Keane looked on as the players warmed up, with keepers David Forde, Keiren Westwood and Rob Elliot working apart with new goalkeeping coach Seamus McDonagh.
The real work began once the cameras had been switched off and journalists asked to leave after their allotted time, with a new era in Irish football well and truly under way.
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Richard Dunne took no part in Ireland’s training session this morning in Malahide but Marco Tardelli is “100 per cent” certain the defender will be fit for the Euro 2012 qualifiers against Russia at home and Slovakia away.
Dunne made his comeback from injury for Aston Villa at the weekend and while assistant manager Tardelli admitted he was still slightly niggled by the injury, he insisted today’s absence was purely precautionary.
“He feels well but it is better for him to have the rest for one day,” Tardelli told reporters at the end of training in Malahide. “It is a precaution and there is no problem.”
Dunne is due to train with the rest of the squad tomorrow and Tardelli has no concerns over his availability to start on Friday when Russia come to Lansdowne Road.
Tardelli hopes to gain at least four points from the double-header, a tally that would put Ireland in a position of real strength at the top of Group B, but is under no illusions just how difficult a task lies ahead.
After a shaky start, Russia will arrive in Dublin desperately needing a win to get their campaign back on track and despite their defeat at home to Slovakia, Advocaat’s squad have real strength in depth.
“The Russian team are a very good team with good qualities and they have important players, some who play in England and Germany,” Tardelli cautioned. “The Russian team maybe has better quality than Slovakia but Slovakia are very tough. They are two different teams
“All the players must do their best. Like the other matches . . . we need to press the Russian team because they can play well in the midfield.
“They are a quality teams with many quality players. Arshavin, Pavlyuchenko and other players with Zenit. They are very good technically but with pressure in midfield it is possible for us to attack and it’s possible for us to play well.”
Ireland skipper Robbie Keane will be fit for Tuesday night's Euro 2012 qualifier against Andorra after he suffered no reaction to his knee injury in last night's 1-0 win over Armenia.
The 30-year-old striker, who has been struggling with the problem, was substituted shortly after Keith Fahey's winning goal at the Yerevan Republican Stadium last night.
However, manager Giovanni Trapattoni revealed today that he took him off simply as a precaution.
He said: 'I gave him a little bit of a rest because he had, not an injury, but some pain and I wanted to be cautious about it.'
Meanwhile, Ipswich defender Darren O'Dea was expected to resume training today after recovering from a sprained knee, while Hull counterpart Paul McShane has rejoined the squad after missing the Armenia game with a hamstring problem.
However, Fulham winger Damien Duff remains sidelined by a calf strain.
Argentina spoiled the party as international football returned to Lansdowne Road, with a controversial goal from Angel Di Maria giving the visitors a 1-0 win.
The winger lobbed Shay Given after 20 minutes at the new Aviva Stadium, but was he offside when Gonzalo Higuain flicked on Sergio Romero's goal-kick.
Despite the loss, there was still enough to please Giovanni Trapattoni as he recovers from stomach surgery in the Mater Hospital, notably an impressive debut from substitute Keith Treacy.
The Italian will not worry too much about losing momentum for the opening European Championship qualifiers if, as expected, he is fit enough to take his place on the bench.
Following a rousing pre-match reception, Keane endured a tough night on the pitch, but could have made up for it if he had not uncharacteristically spurned a late chance.
The streets around Ballsbridge and Sandymount thronged with green before the game as international football turned to Dublin 4.
With Marco Tardelli replacing Trapattoni in charge, Ireland worked hard but could not provide the guile to match the endeavour.
Messi gave the 45,200 fans a glimpse of his talents as early as the ninth minute when he skipped past John O'Shea, but his lob sailed over the bar.
His opposite number had his first shot in anger moments later, but could not find the target after Cillian Sheridan, who replaced Kevin Doyle, had out-jumped Javier Mascherano and Martin Demichelis.
Ireland were fortunate not to go behind in the 14th minute when Paul McShane was caught out by Mascherano's cross-field pass. Fortunately, the defender recovered to block Di Maria's cross.
But Ireland did not heed that warning and fell behind on 20 minutes, albeit in controversial circumstances with an offside in the build-up to the goal.
O'Shea went missing as Higuain flicked on Sergio Romero's goal-kick to Di Maria, who was standing in an offside position. The winger lifted the ball over a stranded Given as Ireland waited for a flag that never came.
Ireland improved after the restart and two quick touches from Keane took him past Demichelis on backline, but his cross evaded Fahey and Sheridan.
However, at the other end, Messi picked out substitute Diego Milito and Dunne and O'Shea scrambled to snuff out the danger.
The crowd welcomed on Andy Keogh and Greg Cunningham for the tiring Sheridan and Kevin Kilbane.
After more changes from both sides, Damien Duff drew a comfortable save from Romero following Keane's lay-off. The effort seemed to lift a crowd that had grown weary with Argentina's grip on possession.
Given was a spectator for much of the second half but got down to stop powerful drive from Fernando Gago.
The numerous substitutions broke up the pattern of the game, but Treacy's late cameo offers hope for the future.
He was straight into the action as he raced down the left wing, his cross found Andy Keogh at the front post, but the striker could only divert the ball over the bar.
Ireland pushed hard for an equaliser in a frantic final five minutes. The chance to cap a perfect night for Keane came and went when he missed an attempted overhead kick with the goal at his mercy.
Republic of Ireland: 1 Given; 2 McShane, 4 O'Shea, 5 Dunne, 3 Kilbane (20 Cunningham '57); 7 Fahey (18 Treacy '77), 6 Green, 8 Andrews (15 Gibson '68), 11 Duff; 9 Sheridan (17 Keogh '57), 10 Keane.
The injury which ruled Robbie Keane out of Tottenham's pre-season trip to Portugal is not thought to be serious.
Keane reportedly sustained a knee problem, which meant he did not travel to Lisbon for Tuesday night's friendly against Benfica.
Ireland striker Keane has been repeatedly linked with a move away from White Hart Lane since spending the second half of last season on loan at Celtic.
Keane is due to celebrate his 100th international appearance for Ireland at the opening of The new Lansdowne Road stadium in Dublin on the 11th of August in a friendly international against Argentina.
The Ireland squad has held its first training session under the new management team of Martin O'Neill and Roy Keane, with a large media contingent in attendance.
