WITH THE OPENING encounter of Ireland’s Euro 2016 campaign just days away, speculation is naturally rife about what the starting XI to face Sweden will be.
And manager Martin O’Neill gave a possible insight into his thoughts, with the selection of two 10-a-side training teams to face off earlier today at the team’s base in Versailles.
Of course, it’s always problematic reading too much into such selections, but one interpretation is that the players in yellow are the ones likely to start against the Swedes.
The latter team includes the likes of Seamus Coleman, Robbie Brady and James McCarthy, all of whom are widely perceived to be guaranteed starters if fit.
By contrast, the orange team had just one near-certain starter — Stoke’s Glenn Whelan.
If the yellow team plus Glenn Whelan does prove to be an accurate indication of O’Neill’s starting XI, it would mean a shock competitive debut at international level for Blackburn’s Shane Duffy, who has impressed for the Boys in Green in recent friendlies having been considered far from a certainty for the 23-man Euro 2016 squad not so long ago.
It would also see winger Aiden McGeady handed a surprise start despite an indifferent season at club level, where he was effectively ostracised from the Everton team and also failed to set the world alight when sent on loan to Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship, despite making 13 appearances for the Owls as they chased promotion to the Premier League.
That said, the teams may well be deliberately misleading — O’Neill is famous for keeping his cards close to his chest and invariably doesn’t even confirm the starting XI to his players until shortly before kick-off. In addition, the selection of McGeady would be a particular surprise, as assistant boss Roy Keane only a few days ago indicated the 30-year-old was far off the starting XI.
Of course, one person who was conspicuous by his absence was Jon Walters, who trained on his own with fitness man Dan Horan this afternoon, as he bids to recover from a recent injury setback.
The Stoke man is another who is thought to be a certain starter if fit.
Meanwhile, Robbie Keane — another recent injury worry — was floating as the middle man during the game, as he bids to be fit in time for Monday’s opening Group E match.
Yellow team: Darren Randolph; Seamus Coleman, John O’Shea, Shane Duffy, Robbie Brady; Jeff Hendrick, James McCarthy, Wes Hoolahan, Aiden McGeady; Shane Long.
Orange team: Keiren Westwood; Cyrus Christie, Richard Keogh, Ciaran Clark, Stephen Ward; David Meyler, Glenn Whelan, Stephen Quinn, James McClean; Daryl Murphy.
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