Updated 14.30
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND defender Marc Wilson is nearing a return to competitive action.
Wilson’s club Stoke City host Burnley in a behind-closed-doors friendly at the Brittania Stadium today and Wilson, who broke his leg at the end of October, is expected to feature as he continues his rehabilitation.
The news will come as a boost to Giovanni Trapattoni as he ponders his squad for next month’s World Cup qualifiers against Sweden and Austria.
After bringing the 26-year-old back from international exile, Trapattoni was keeping a close eye on Wilson’s progress and was at the Brittania Stadium when he broke his leg against Sunderland.
And with question marks still persisting over the fitness of Richard Dunne and Sean St Ledger, Wilson could be recalled as a defensive option for the double-header if fit.
