Ciarán Clark and Séamus Coleman will make their Ireland international debuts in tomorrow night’s Carling Nations Cup opener against Wales, However Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni has lost Robbie Keane, James McCarthy, Keith Treacy, Liam Lawrence and Leon Best to injury.
Despite his hope that the Killybegs born player might develop into an attacking right back over the coming years, Coleman, the Italian said, will start on the right side of midfield for the Wales game while Clark will be used at left back.
The pair, he said, will get opportunities, “not just in this game but also in the qualifiers”, a comment that seemed to suggest Clark, in particular, has a chance of very quickly making the place his own if he can impress on this occasion.
Speaking about his inclusion in his first Ireland senior squad, Clark said “ I’ve just got to play as well as I can and hopefully impress. I’ve got to try and stay in the squad. There are a number of players who aren’t here who might be here for the next meet-up so there are a lot of people to choose from. I’ve got to keep training and playing hard and just see what might happen over the next couple of years.”
Clark, said he was excited by the prospect of making his senior debut.
“From a young age we have been a big Irish family and that is always what I wanted to do,” he said. “It was a good experience being with England. Ireland never came in at the time and that was just the path that things took but this is where I really wanted to be. Now I’ve made my decision and I would be honoured to be involved and hopefully I will be.”
Trapattoni seemed a little taken aback that James McCarthy will again be unavailable to him after the Wigan midfielder was withdrawn by his club whose medical staff, the Italian said, felt it be better if the player got the opportunity to rest having taken “a couple of knocks” in Saturday’s defeat of Blackburn, only his second game after returning from a long-term injury.
“It is a pity,” said Trapattoni because it would have been a good opportunity for him. I like him and could have looked at him in two different positions, behind the strikers and in midfield but it is not a problem, there will be other opportunities.”
Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni has confirmed his 22-man squad for the Carling Nations Cup opener against Wales at the Aviva Stadium next Tuesday, February 8.
James McCarthy has been added to the senior squad and alongside the inclusion of Wilson, Coleman and Clarke makes for a very exciting blend of young Premiership talent and more experienced campaigners like Keane, Duff, Dunne and Given.
Ireland Squad:
Given (Manchester City)
Westwood (Coventry City)
O'Shea (Manchester United)
Clark (Aston Villa)
Coleman (Everton)
Dunne (Aston Villa)
St Ledger (Preston North End)
Kelly (Fulham)
O'Dea (Celtic)
Wilson (Stoke City)
Gibson (Manchester United)
Whelan (Stoke City)
Paul Green (Derby County)
Lawrence (Portsmouth)
McCarthy (Wigan Athletic)
Treacy (Preston North End)
Duff (Fulham)
Keane (West Ham United)
Walters (Stoke City)
Doyle (Wolves)
Long (Reading)
Best (Newcastle United).
Ciarán Clark insists he has no regrets about deciding to pledge his international future to Ireland rather than England.
The 21-year-old Aston Villa centre-back underlined his massive potential with two goals in the 4-2 defeat by Arsenal on Saturday.
Clark, who has played for England Under U-20’s, impressed as an emergency midfielder against the Gunners, but is standing by his choice to represent Ireland and hopes to make his debut for the senior team against Macedonia in March.
“I’ve made my decision, I am Irish,” said Clark.
I’ve played for England in the younger age groups but the time has come and I’ve decided to play for Ireland if selected. All my family is based in Ireland. If selected I’m sure I will have so much support over there.
“I am just looking forward to the next international game now as I was injured for the last one but there are a lot of games before then for Villa.”
Of his goals against Arsenal he said: “I didn’t have time to celebrate, I just wanted to get the ball back and push on for the next one.”
Meanwhile Villa boss Gerard Houllier has sung the praises of Clark after the youngster netted twice in the defeat to Arsenal.
After going into the interval two down, Clark twice brought Villa to within a goal of the Gunners before Jack Wilshere's stoppage-time header secured the points for Arsene Wenger's men.
The brace was the 21-year-old's first-ever senior goals for the club and Houllier is looking for the defender-turned-midfielder to push on.
The French boss said: "Ciaran can play centre-back, as he did against Blackburn last week, but I think, because he has footballing qualities, he can help as a defensive midfielder.
“We played him there because we are practically depleted in midfield.
"Ciarán is doing that very well at the moment and he can also score goals.
"He almost did against Chelsea, when he hit the post. He is developing. He is coming up well."
