Robbie Keane, Marc Wilson and Robbie Brady will start for Ireland when they take on the Faroe Islands in their World Cup 2014 qualification game on Tuesday evening in Tórshavn.
Under-pressure manager Giovanni Trapittoni is facing growing pressure from supporters, former players and the media after a dismal defeat to Germany last week and his player selection.
But perhaps the most damning criticism of the Italian is the suggestion that he has now lost the dressing room, something he denies, although the reports of the mild-mannered Stephen Kelly’s dissatisfaction have been greeted as firm evidence to the contrary.
Ireland will revert to a 4-4-2 formation and three points is a must if the boys in green are to remain in contention in group C.
Ireland starting eleven
Westwood
(Sunderland)
Coleman (Everton)
O’Shea (Sunderland)
O’Dea (Toronto FC)
Wilson (Stoke)
Brady (Manchester United)
Andrews (Bolton)
McCarthy (Wigan)
McGeady (Spartak Moscow)
Keane (LA Galaxy)
Walters
(Stoke)
Giovanni Trapattoni has announced his squad for the upcoming friendly against Serbia.
Skipper Robbie Keane, keeper Shay Given, central defender Richard Dunne and midfielder Stephen Hunt have been left out of the squad for next month's friendly clash with Serbia in Belgrade.
Stoke's Marc Wilson, Everton's Seamus Coleman and Wigan midfielder James McCarthy all come into the squad.
Ireland squad: Keiren Westwood (Sunderland), David Forde (Millwall), Darren Randolph (Motherwell), Marc Wilson (Stoke), John O'Shea (Sunderland), Sean St Ledger (Leicester), Darren O'Dea (Unattached), Stephen Ward (Wolves), Stephen Kelly (Fulham), Paul McShane (Hull), Glenn Whelan (Stoke), Darron Gibson (Everton), James McCarthy (Wigan), Paul Green (Leeds), Seamus Coleman (Everton), Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow), Andy Keogh (Millwall), James McClean (Sunderland), Keith Treacy (Burnley), Kevin Doyle (Wolves), Shane Long and Simon Cox (both West Brom), Jon Walters (Stoke).
Ireland international James McClean is already focused on Ireland's upcoming World Cup qualifying campaign and is hoping that Giovanni Trapattoni gives him the game time so he can show some of the excellent form witnessed at club level last season.
The Derry born winger saw only 14 minutes of competitive action for Ireland in the European Championships but is keen to claim a starting berth in the qualifiers which starts away to Kazakhstan in September.
Many were surprised that McClean played such a peripheral role during the Euro finals and it is hoped that after such a poor performance by the Irish team in Poland that Trapattoni will realise that changes are required if the team is to progress to the World Cup finals in Brazil in 2014.
The Ireland friendly away to Serbia in August will be an interesting guide to see if Trap is prepared to change his rigid selection policy and start young, talented prospects like James McClean and Wigan's James McCarthy.
“We have to do our best to qualify,” McClean said. “Germany are flying at the minute and Sweden are a tough side but there are other good teams there also and we know it’s not going to be easy.
“But we have to take confidence into it and believe that we can qualify. The World Cup is the biggest stage in the world and you can show what you can do. I want to be there with Ireland.
“It was great to get my competitive debut against Spain but on a personal level I was disappointed not to get more playing time,” he added. “I always thought I would get a run-out at some stage.
“I was disappointed when I didn’t get the start against Spain because, just like any player, you want to play as many minutes as possible.
“When the manager told me I was coming on during the Spain match it was obviously exciting, but it was no surprise that he didn’t make changes because he said that he was going to use the players that had got Ireland there.
“It was disappointing but understandable that he stuck with the players.
“Hopefully as we go on I can get more playing time and repay the confidence they’ve shown in me,” he concluded.
Ireland will start their qualifying campaign for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil away to Kazakhstan.
Following a meeting at the headquarters of their German counterparts in Frankfurt, the Football Association of Ireland announced today that agreement has been reached over their fixture schedule.
September 7, 2012
Kazakhstan v Ireland
October 12, 2012
Ireland v Germany
October 16, 2012
Faroe Islands v Ireland
March 22, 2013
Sweden v Ireland
March 26, 2013
Ireland v Austria
June 7, 2013
Ireland v Faroe Islands
September 6, 2013
Ireland v Sweden
September 10, 2013
Austria v Ireland
October 11, 2013
Germany v Ireland
October 15, 2013
Ireland v Kazakhstan
