Still no place for Norwich City’s Wes Hoolahan in Ireland squad
Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni has dispensed with the services of his old guard for next month's friendly clash with Serbia – but still couldn't find a place for Norwich City's Wes Hoolahan.
Despite the 30-year-old's impressive form in the Premier League last season with the Canaries, Trappatoni has decided against giving Hoolahan the chance to add to the one cap he won for Ireland in 2009 against Colombia.
Trappatoni has left thirty-somethings Shay Given, Richard Dunne, Damien Duff, Keith Andrews, Stephen Hunt and skipper Robbie Keane out of the 23-man party for the game in Belgrade on August 15.
However, their absence does not mean their international careers are over with Trapattoni keen to call upon some, if not all, of them once the World Cup qualifying campaign gets under way in Kazakhstan in September.
In the meantime, he will give some of his younger players – in particular Stoke's Marc Wilson, Everton's Seamus Coleman and Wigan midfielder James McCarthy, who asked not to be considered for the Euro 2012 finals as his father underwent cancer treatment – a chance to prove themselves at senior international level.
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Trapattoni said: 'This friendly offers us a great opportunity to try out younger players ahead of our World Cup qualifying campaign. As a result, I have decided to leave some of our senior players out of the squad for this fixture.
'Serbia are a very good team with a great football heritage, and will provide us with a great test before our game against Kazakhstan in September.'
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Trapattoni had informed his senior men in advance that they would not be involved.
He also revealed that Wolves defender Kevin Foley, who accused the manager of betrayal after he was deselected from the squad for the Euros during the pre-tournament training camp in Montecatini, had rejected an offer to return, although not necessarily permanently.
