– Paul Dollery reports from Cardiff
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND manager Martin O’Neill has lamented the loss of James McClean for tomorrow night’s Uefa Nations League opener against Wales in Cardiff.
McClean was forced to withdraw from the game yesterday after breaking his wrist in two places while training ahead of Ireland’s first competitive outing in 10 months.
The Stoke City winger scored the only goal when O’Neill’s side overcame Wales at Cardiff City Stadium last October, but he won’t be in line to repeat those heroics on this occasion.
McClean is one of seven players unavailable to O’Neill due to injury. Ireland’s list of casualties for their debut in the inaugural Nations League also includes James McCarthy, Alan Browne, Robbie Brady, Shane Long, Sean Maguire and Scott Hogan.
McClean is now expected to be sidelined for six weeks, but the Ireland boss explained in this evening’s pre-match press conference that in spite of the problem, the Derry native was still keen to be involved in tomorrow’s game.
“James is a loss for us, no question about it,” O’Neill said of the 29-year-old, who scored four goals over the course of Ireland’s failed bid to qualify for this year’s World Cup in Russia.
“He became a big figure for us in the last qualifying campaign. He was looking forward to the game. He broke his wrist in two places but as he was being taken to hospital he was talking about playing in a plaster cast. That might tell you about his desire to play for the Republic of Ireland.”
O’Neill must also plan without Declan Rice and Harry Arter. Rice is considering his international future after England expressed interest in the versatile 19-year-old. Arter has made himself unavailable following a verbal altercation with Ireland assistant manager Roy Keane.
When pressed for an update on Rice’s situation, O’Neill reiterated that there have been no developments: “I haven’t got any news at this moment, but I wasn’t seeking news. I was trying to prepare for the game.”
In addition to the aforementioned absentees, the likes of John O’Shea, Daryl Murphy and Wes Hoolahan have retired from international football since Ireland’s last competitive outing. With so many established players marked absent, captain Seamus Coleman believes tomorrow’s game presents an opportunity for fringe members of the squad to stake a claim.
The Everton full-back said: “We’ve obviously lost a few players due to retirement who have been around for the last few years and understood what we’re all about. Unfortunately at the minute as well we’ve got a few injuries.
“But the people who are coming into the squad will know what it means to represent our country and how proud they should be. More importantly, they’ll know the effort we put in every time we meet up. Whatever is going on at club level, if you’re playing or not playing, when you come away here you know you’ve got to get in the fold and do what’s expected of us.
“I’m sure the new lads will do that and will be very proud to represent their country. A result here tomorrow night will give everyone that great feeling that a lot of us have had throughout the years.”
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