February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
O’Shea was omitted from the Irish squad announced last week by coach Brian Kerr. The boss, however, handed a recall to veteran midfielder Mark Kinsella, who missed the Republic’s last two games.
Ireland are coming of an inspiring goalless draw with world champions Brazil last month, but in the in-form Czechs face a team driven by European Footballer of the Year Pavel Nedved and a team unbeaten since losing both legs of their 2002 World Cup playoff against Belgium in November 2001.
That is a run of 20 games without defeat for the Euro 2004 qualifiers, whose most recent encounter was a 2-2 tie with Italy in Palermo last month.
Czech coach Karel Brueckner brings to Lansdowne Road an experienced side led by the devastating Nedved, although top midfielder Karel Poborsky, formerly of Manchester United, misses out due to injury.
In goals for the Czechs will be Damien Duff’s future Chelsea teammate next season Petr Cech. Other notables include the giant Borussia Dortmund striker Jan Koller and Liverpool youngster Milan Baros.
Kerr will pick his starting eleven from the following players: Goalkeepers Paddy Kenny (Sheffield United), Shay Given (Newcastle United), and Nicky Colgan (Hibernians); defenders Kenny Cunningham (Birmingham City), Steve Finnan (Liverpool), Ian Harte (Leeds United), Stephen Carr and Gary Doherty (both Tottenham Hotspur); midfielders Lee Carsley (Everton), Matt Holland (Charlton Athletic), Kevin Kilbane (Everton), Steven Reid (Nottingham Forest), Rory Delap (Southampton), Mark Kinsella (West Bromwich Albion), Stephen McPhail (Leeds United) and Damien Duff (Chelsea), and forwards Robbie Keane (Tottenham Hotspur), Clinton Morrison (Birmingham City), and Alan Lee (Cardiff City).
European champs France and Switzerland, Ireland’s main rivals in Group 4 of the 2006 World Cup qualifiers, are also in action today, against Holland and Greece, respectively.
The French have assembled a full strength squad for the Rotterdam friendly, their final tune up before beginning their Euro 2004 opener against England in Portugal on June 13.
Switzerland play Greece in Crete.
NORTH IN ESTONIA
Northern Ireland, thrashed 4-1 by Norway in Belfast last month on Lawrie Sanchez’s debut as manager, expect a better result when they meet Estonia in Tallinn today.
David Healy, who ended the North’s 13-game scoring drought with a second-half header in the Norwegian drubbing, will once again lead the attack as the Irish attempt to end a 15-month winless streak.
Sanchez’s other picks last week were goalkeeper Maik Taylor (Birmingham City), defenders Colin Murdock (Hibernian), Stephen Craigan (Motherwell), Mark Williams (Wimbledon), Mark Clyde (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Chris Baird (Watford) and Tony Capaldi (Plymouth); midfielders Steve Jones (Crewe,), Jeff Whitley (Sunderland), Philip Mulryne (Norwich), Danny Sonner (Nottingham Forest), Tommy Doherty (Bristol City), and forwards Andrew Smith (Glentoran), Gary Hamilton (Portadown), Paul McVeigh (Norwich) and Andrew Kirk (Hearts).
The North, meanwhile, will tour the Caribbean in May and June as part of their preparations for the World Cup qualifiers starting in Europe next September.
Jamaica have pulled out of an earlier scheduled match on the tour, but games in Barbados on May 30, St. Kitts/Nevis on June 2 and Trinidad and Tobago on June 6 have been confirmed, the Irish Football Association announced last week.