Liam Lawrence says he wants more regular football to keep alive his Ireland career and this could mean his leaving Stoke is search of more regular starts for his club team.
He revealed that Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni has warned him that he must find regular first-team football.
The 28 year old midfielder, scored in Saturday’s 2-0 home win over Hull but is unhappy with how this season has gone.
Lawrence said: ‘I’ve not done as well as I’ve wanted. I’ve been in and out of the side, which hasn’t helped. I’ve spoken at length to the manager (Tony Pulis). We’ve had a couple of meetings.
‘We’ll just have to wait and see what happens. I just want to play football. Being in the Premier League at a good team like Stoke, it’s not guaranteed.
‘Trapattoni has spoken to me about it and I do need to be playing to keep involved with the squad.
'To play me in the massive games that he did for Ireland gave me massive confidence and he’s a fantastic manager.’
Lawrence admitted that his form has fortunes have gone downhill since Ireland’s World Cup play-off heartbreak.
He said: ‘When I’ve come back to Stoke, sometimes I’ve not played as well as I can do and maybe that’s why I’ve not played as regularly.
'After the France game, I came back and was in and out. It’ s just been one of those seasons and it’s been the worst since I’ve been at Stoke.
‘I don’t know if it’s because of the disappointment of losing to France. It’s down to me now. I’ve just got to keep my head down and try to stay in the team for the rest of the season.’
The former Sunderland player, who has been at Stoke since January 2007, explained his emotional celebration after scoring on Saturday by saying: ‘It was a massive relief. I’ve bided my time this season. I’m feeling stronger all the time.’
It was his first goal since he scored against the same opponents at the KC Stadium last May.
Ireland will open their Euro 2012 qualifying campaign with an away trip to Armenia on 3 September.
Giovanni Trapattoni's first competitive game at the new Lansdowne Road Stadium will be against Andorra, four days later on 7 September.
Commenting on the draw, Trapattoni said: 'I am happy with this draw and the early fixtures represent good opportunities for us and it is always good to finish at home.
'On balance, these fixtures are better than those we had in the previous World Cup qualification campaign.
'I also think the squad will have benefitted from the significant steps forward made against top sides like Bulgaria, Montenegro, Italy, France and Brazil.'Friday, 3 September 2010: Armenia (a)
Tuesday, 7 September 2010: Andorra (h)
Friday, 8 October 2010: Russia (h)
Tuesday, 12 October 2010: Slovakia (a)
Saturday, 26 March 2011: Macedonia (h)
Saturday, 4 June 2011: Macedonia (a)
Friday, 2 September 2011: Slovakia (h)
Tuesday, 6 September 2011: Russia (a)
Friday, 7 October 2011: Andorra (a)
Tuesday, 11 October 2011: Armenia (h)
Portsmouth and Ireland defender Marc Wilson has insisted players born in the North of Ireland should be allowed to decide whether they want to represent Ireland or the North at international level.
Wilson, named in the Ireland squad for Tuesday's friendly against Brazil, is from Aghagallon in County Antrim.
"I think you should have the choice," said Wilson. "I made it clear I wanted to play for the Republic”.
"It was always my dream to play for the Republic. I grew up supporting them."
"It should be down to the player to make that decision and that should be it."
Ireland take on Brazil, the favourites for this summer's World Cup at Arsenal's Emirates stadium on Tuesday night.
"It is tough competition in the Ireland squad but I am just happy to be here. Hopefully, I can progress further in the future.
"Words could not describe my feeling when I heard about the call-up," he added.
"Brazil are the best team in the world in my opinion. Their record speaks for itself. It is a great game to be involved in and anyone would be proud to be involved in it."
Tuesday's game at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium is the first of four for Ireland before they kick off their Euro 2012 qualifying campaign, for which they have been drawn against Russia, Slovakia, Macedonia, Armenia and Andorra.
Ireland international Marc Wilson has committed his future to Portsmouth by signing a new three-and-a-half-year deal with the club.
The 22-year-old Co. Antrim born defender came through the ranks at Fratton Park and has established himself in the Pompey first-team this season.
The Premier League strugglers have been beset by financial problems this season, which have forced many players to move on, but Wilson insists he is happy on the South Coast.
"I've always wanted to stay at Pompey," he told the club's official website.
"This is my seventh year here and I really enjoy it.
"The fans are great and I couldn't imagine playing anywhere else."
Wilson spent two spells on loan at Bournemouth before making his first-team breakthrough for Pompey last season and the Irishman has made 22 appearances this term.
"I've really enjoyed playing first-team football this season and learning from some very experienced players," he added.
"There are a lot of good players here and even just training alongside them has helped me improve my game."
Ireland assistant manager Liam Brady has blasted FIFA president Sepp Blatter for revealing the supposedly confidential details of a meeting with the FAI.
Speaking at a conference in South Africa, Blatter stated that the Irish had enquired at the meeting as to the possibility of being invited to next summer's World Cup as a '33rd nation' after their controversial play-off exit at the hands of France.
Blatter was seen to join in with the laughter that this news created at the meeting, and Brady is disgusted with the FIFA president.
"I was told that the FAI went to a supposedly private meeting with Mr Blatter and officials from FIFA a couple of evenings ago," he told Sky Sports News.
"I don't think they believed that Mr Blatter was going to reveal what was said at the meeting. I believe that they agreed it would be confidential.
"But I'm afraid Mr Blatter is a bit of a law unto himself.
"I thought he was very disrespectful how he presented this fact the other day at a business conference in South Africa.
"He totally ignored most of the controversial things that went on that evening. He never had anything to say about those at all. Like Henry's behaviour after scoring that goal and how that stands within his campaign to have fair play within the game.
"You see the goal and Henry celebrates as if he's done nothing wrong.
"Is that fair play? Hardly. But Mr Blatter chose to talk about our request to be considered as the 33rd team.
"I think when we asked for that we knew there was very little chance of that happening. We asked because we wanted to have them respond in a measured way and see what they had to say.
"After all Mr Blatter is responsible for the officials. He didn't say anything about the appalling mistake the official made to miss such a blatant handball.
"He didn't even have the grace to acknowledge the behaviour of the Irish players after the game. Not one player got booked after that incident, not one player got booked after the match.
"There were 20,000 Irish fans in the stadium. Not one fan caused trouble in the stadium in Paris that night, or in the city that night.
"Now I think my country deserves a little more recognition from Blatter than the way he presented it to the press conference in South Africa yesterday.
"I think the man is a bit of a loose cannon and embarrassment to FIFA."
Brady was also disgusted with the way in which Blatter had seemed to treat the matter as a joke in South Africa, and his revelations had been greeted with laughter by some of the audience.
"The way he presented it was bound to be," Brady added.
"He was presenting it to business people, and he's very close to business people. I think people will be watching Mr Blatter and his decisions very closely from now on.
"And of course England will have a lot to do with him, because they're trying to get the World Cup in 2018 and Mr Blatter will have a big say in that."
Brady also hinted at a broader conspiracy in favour of the bigger European sides.
"I've been a player and gone to Paris a couple of times and been on the wrong end of decisions," he said.
"I think when it comes to the big teams and big business in football you'll find that they usually get the decisions.
"Forget about that. We can accept that. What we can't accept is how he's presented the case to the media in South Africa yesterday.
"He needs to show some respect."
Ireland legend Ray Houghton has branded FIFA president Sepp Blatter ' a disgrace' and accused him of ridiculing the Irish public after laughing at, and blowing out of proportion the FAI's request to be the 33rd team at the World Cup finals. The FAI are said to be bemused by the manner in which Blatter highlighted that particular aspect of the meeting (33rd team) and, privately, are well aware that it's a fanciful notion. Nor, when they actually met with FIFA last Friday, did the FAI propose any kind of mechanism for accommodating an extra team in the World Cup finals in South Africa'
Indeed, a written submission made by the FAI to FIFA contained no mention of that suggestion and instead focused on improvements to the game such as video technology, extra officials and sanctions for individuals who bend the rules. 'In fact, in their written submission to FIFA preceding the meeting, the FAI had not even mentioned the idea of filling an extra berth at next summer’s finals in South Africa, instead concentrating on issues designed to prevent incidents such as the controversial French goal in Paris from occurring again.
Blatter and the executive committee chuckled as he announced this and Houghton, who won 73 Irish caps, said: 'What he's doing is taking the mickey out of the Irish public as if they don't really matter.
'It's a disgrace. They were laughing at the Irish public which is shocking. The players worked so hard for two years to get to the World Cup and then some fellow's laughing about it and he's the head of FIFA.
'I can't believe he's in the position he is. When you're looking for leadership qualities and someone to make a stand...what's going to happen to Thierry Henry? Nothing.
'What we're saying now is that you can cheat and score and it's alright. That sends out the wrong message to the kids and what we need is someone to say 'this is not going to happen.'
Ex-Liverpool & Aston Villa midfielder Houghton added: 'I think had it been England involved it would have been very similar to Ireland because FIFA don't think too highly of the English.
'Blatter's quick to criticise Premier League clubs for spending too much money but I didn't hear too much when Real Madrid spent £80 million on Ronaldo and £60 million on Kaka. Blatter didn't say the Spanish were spending too much.
'If it was France, Germany or Spain and certainly Brazil or Argentina there would have been mayhem. You only have to look at what they did to the play-off seedings.
'The biggest tournament in the world and they left it until three weeks before the play-offs to decide there would be seeds
'When you look at the way he's treated Ireland and the competition it underlines how he has not led FIFA particularly well. He's a man who does what he wants even though I couldn't tell you what he does. To be ridiculed twice, laughing at the Irish after the seedings change, is shocking.'
Blatter was roundly criticised for his silence last week and made his first foray into the global storm with comments in 'L'Equipe' on Sunday detailing correspondence with Thierry Henry and effectively absolving the French skipper while blaming match referee Hansson. "I definitely gained an advantage by pulling a defender's jersey in order to score a goal. And I didn't go and see the referee to tell him about it," said Blatter, in a slightly unfortunate reference to his days as an amateur player.
Fifa president Sepp Blatter has revealed that he telephoned France captain Thierry Henry to offer him support over his controversial handball in the World Cup play-off win over Ireland.
"I called Thierry, because he tried to get in touch with me," Blatter told French newspaper L'Equipe.
"He was honest by admitting that he did use his hand, but it wasn't his responsibility to tell the referee.
"When I was a centre forward in my junior team, I definitely gained an advantage by pulling a defender's jersey in order to score a goal. And I didn't go and see the referee to tell him about it."
Blatter's remarks are incredible as he seems to be condoning cheating within the game & it certainly makes a mockery of FIFA's Fair Play code.
To quote Blatter prior to the start of the World Cup qualifying campaign - 'Fair play should come before anything else ... These qualifying matches must epitomise fair play. They should encapsulate the sporting, moral and ethical principles for which Fifa has always stood. And they must leave a lasting impression!".
Blatter's words sound very hollow considering he has basically said that cheating is fine as long as you don't get caught.
Its difficult to see how he can support Fair Play within the game on the one hand and on the other, ring the perpetrator of the cheating to console him and offer him his support.
Article one of the FIFA fair play code reads as follows : "Winning is without value if victory has been achieved unfairly or dishonestly. Cheating is easy, but brings no pleasure. Playing fair requires courage and character. It is also more satisfying. Fair play always has its reward, even when the game is lost. Playing fair earns respect, while cheating only brings shame. Remember: it is only a game. And games are pointless unless played fairly."
The Fifa president had previously refused to comment on the incident, prompting criticism from Football Association of Ireland (FAI) chief executive John Delaney.
France's play-off with Ireland was poised at 1-1 on aggregate in the second leg in Paris when Henry controlled the ball with his hand twice before teeing up William Gallas for the decisive goal,the linesman had a clear view of the Henry handball yet for some reason failed to make any signal to the referree about the act of blatant cheating by the French forward. The cheating incident sparked furious protests from the Irish players that were taken up by the Irish government. The revelation that Blatter personally contacted Henry follows soon after the announcement by UEFA boss Michel Platini that the play-off's for the next European Qualifying Championships will be weighted heavily in favour of the bigger nations, with the play-off draw being seeded and the teams offered the chance to play the second leg at home.
In a decision sure to prompt anger in many European countries, European football’s governing body UEFA has confirmed that not only will the play-offs for the 2012 European Championships be seeded — but the seeded teams will then be guaranteed home advantage in the second leg.
The Irish Examiner has learned that FAI chief executive John Delaney has already written to UEFA to express his concern about the plan. While opposed in principle to the seeding of the play-offs, the FAI boss is understood to be especially concerned about the decision to give home advantage to the seeded team in the return leg.
With the dust on Ireland’s controversial defeat to France in the World Cup play-off still settling, the UEFA initiative will be widely interpreted as further evidence that, far from promoting concepts of fair play, football’s international authorities appear determined to load the dice in favour of the game’s big powers.
The FAI and Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni were dismayed when FIFA belatedly announced that the draw for the recent World Cup play-offs would be seeded, the decision from Zurich only confirmed in late September when it became clear that European football superpowers such as Portugal and France were unlikely to progress automatically to the cup finals in South Africa.
Then, in what was regarded by Trapattoni as a further obstacle to his team’s chances of progressing, the bad luck of the draw gave the French home advantage in the second leg — although, as things turned out in the Stade de France last Wednesday, it ultimately took a travesty of justice to ensure the home side’s progress.
But, for the play-offs for the Euro finals in Poland and Ukraine in 2012, the home and away factor will not even be left to chance, with UEFA yesterday confirming that the seeded teams will automatically get to play the return match at home.
In response to an inquiry from this newspaper, a UEFA spokesperson referenced article 7.07 of the governing body’s regulations for the 2012 European Championship. After stating that the eight runners-up in qualifying will contest play-off matches, Article 7.07 — with the devil, as ever, in the detail — continues: "The four ties are determined by means of a draw. The four runners-up with the best position in the UEFA national team coefficient ranking system are seeded for the draw. The play-offs are played according to the knockout system, with each team playing each opponent twice, in home and away matches. The seeded teams play the return match at home. The teams which score the greater aggregate of goals in the two matches qualify for the final tournament."
Perhaps the only small consolation is that, at least this time, the FAI, in common with all the other European associations, have been appraised of the play-off rules well before their national teams even start out on the long road to Poland and Ukraine.
Giovanni Trapattoni also knows that his team already faces an uphill task before the qualifying draw takes place in February, with UEFA having confirmed last week that Ireland will be third seeds when the balls go into the pots in Warsaw, alongside Northern Ireland, Scotland, Israel, Bulgaria, Finland, Norway, Austria and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The UEFA coefficients which determined these seedings are based on a complicated system involving performances in the 2006 World Cup finals and preceding qualifying campaign, Euro 2008 and its qualifying campaign and 2010 World Cup qualifying. But, although UEFA say that "more recent results are given greater consideration", Ireland’s unbeaten run in the regulation World Cup qualifying campaign was still evidently not enough to get them a place as second seeds alongside the likes of Czech Republic, Romania, Sweden and Turkey — all of whom failed to even make the play-offs.
The qualifying campaign for Euro 2012 will comprise six groups of six teams and three groups of five. The nine winners and best runner-up will qualify directly for the finals, with eight remaining runners-up contesting the play-offs. As co-hosts, Poland and Ukraine qualify automatically.
The draw takes place in Warsaw on February 7.
Ireland have been forced to admit defeat in their efforts to be granted a replay of their World Cup play-off clash with France.
Having seen FIFA reject their appeals to have the second leg of the tie replayed because of Thierry Henry's handball in the run-up to William Gallas' decisive goal, the Football Association of Ireland, backed by both French skipper Henry and Ireland captain Robbie Keane, had turned to the French Football Federation.
However, the FFF have ruled out the possibility, and France will now take their place in next summer's finals in South Africa while Ireland will remain at home, the victims of what they believe has been a gross miscarriage of justice.FAI chief executive John Delaney said today: 'We regret that despite our best efforts for a replay, which would have restored the integrity of the game in front of a world-wide audience, our calls appear to have fallen on deaf ears at the French Football Federation.
'Without doubt, the credibility of fair play has been damaged by this incident in front of a worldwide audience.
'Despite our deep disappointment, we thank our players, the wonderful Irish fans and the Irish public at large for their support, as well as the solidarity of the French people.
'We will continue to call on FIFA to take action to ensure that such damaging examples of cheating are not allowed to recur
Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni has left Steve Finnan, Steven Reid, Andy Reid and Clinton Morrison out of his squad to face France in their World Cup 2010 qualifying play-off.
It had been rumoured that Finnan would be included to address issues with cover in defence. Steven Reid has been played for Blackburn in recent weeks but Trapattoni has opted not to bring the midfielder back into the squad.
Trapattoni has repeatedly omitted Andy Reid from Ireland squads since clashing with the Sunderland midfielder when the side played Georgia in September.
Hibernian striker Anthony Stokes has been called into the squad and Coventry striker Leon Best is also included.
The matches will take place on 14 and 18 November, with Ireland at home for the first leg.Goalkeepers
Shay Given
Keiren Westwood
Joe Murphy
Defenders
John O'Shea
Richard Dunne
Stephen Kelly
Kevin Kilbane
Eddie Nolan
Sean St. Ledger
Paul McShane
Darren O’Dea
Midfielders
Aiden McGeady
Damien Duff
Darron Gibson
Glenn Whelan
Keith Andrews
Liam Miller
Stephen Hunt
Andy Keogh
Liam Lawrence
Forwards
Kevin Doyle
Robbie Keane
Shane Long
Leon Best
Anthony Stokes
The ‘Going Green On November 14’ campaign continues to gather pace with radio interviews, email campaigns, a Facebook group and Twitter pages all being used to publicise and create a momentum within the whole island for the upcoming World cup play-off game with France on November 14th.
Fans from the Ireland supporters forum – You Boys In Green, have been working overtime to try and create the conditions that will turn Croke Park into an Irish fortress for the game.
Even President McAleese has been contacted at Áras an Uachtaráin about wearing Green on the day of the match.
Every radio station, newspaper, media outlet and interested party in the country is being contacted and the hope is that corporate sponsorship can be obtained for card displays, Green t-shirts, huge flags etc.. to turn Croke Park green in mid November and turn the decibel level up to a point that the French team will know what the roar of Ireland’s 12th man sounds like when they come out of the tunnel at Croke Park on the 14TH of November.
The demand for tickets for the home and away legs is huge and both games are already guaranteed sell-outs. An FAI spokesperson said that the demand for tickets for the away leg in Paris was astronomical and with only 8500 tickets available to the Irish fans from official sources, many will use contacts from the previous Irish invasion by 30000 fans of Paris in 2004, to secure tickets for game in France.
For all the latest news on the ‘Going Green On November 14’ campaign visit YBIG, join the Facebook group or follow the campaign on Twitter.
The French Football Federation (FFF) have struck a blow to hopes of Ireland fans after restricting the away side's allocation to 8000 for the second leg of the World Cup play-off in the Stade de France.
The French are running scared of a potential Irish invasion of Paris.In 2004 Ireland were backed by a 30,000 strong support as they held France to a 0-0 draw in a World Cup qualifier in Paris.
Ireland were able to draw such a large contingent of fans into the stadium as match tickets were available online or by telephone and they were snapped up by the Green Army.
But it seems the French have learned their lesson and the tickets will only be available to buy in person.
Ireland host France at Croke Park in Dublin first before the return leg at the Stade de France four days later to decide which of the two teams qualifies for South Africa.
France coach Raymond Domenech, with bitter memories of 2004 when the huge Irish turned up and outsang their French hosts, demanded on Monday that Ireland be limited to a quarter of the total 80,000 available tickets for the Stade de France, namely 20,000.
'We can't have the Irish having more tickets than what they should be allowed, 20,000 - with 60,000 French fans around them,' Domenech told AFP.
The French Football Federation (FFF) proved even stingier on Wednesday when they allocated just 8,000 tickets to the Irish fans.
The FFF's decision was in accordance with their ticket allocation policy during the World Cup qualifiers, although it appears they have also taken Domenech's concerns to heart.
The FFF said no tickets would be sold over the internet to either set of fans, with tickets for the 18 November match going on sale from French retail outlets on Thursday.
The FFF said in a statement: 'The Irish supporters are taken care of directly by their federation, with 10 percent of the total ticket allocation being allocated as was done for all the other World Cup qualifiers.
'There will be no sale of tickets over the internet.'
A maximum of four tickets will be available per transaction and per person and tickets, once bought, would not be transferable.
French football officials added they would be cracking down on the re-sale of tickets at the stadium but also through the internet.
