SEAN ST LEDGER reckons Giovanni Trapattoni’s squad will be firing on all cylinders when next month’s Euro 2012 qualifiers come around.
Some of the country’s top players have started the season well with Shane Long and skipper Robbie Keane settling well at new clubs.
Speaking to TheScore in Dublin yesterday, the Leicester man said the Boys in Green will be in good shape for the Slovakia game at home before travelling to Russia.
“He’s [Long] been doing very well. Two goals and two good teams to get them against as well. Obviously Robbie Keane scored on his debut for the LA Galaxy, Shay Given is back playing as well. Things are great for our players, things are looking good.”
And, though the commute to Malahide is that bit longer for the national captain, St Ledger says Keane’s transfer to America’s west coast is a clever one.
“I think it’s a great move. At Tottenham, he wasn’t playing week in, week out. The kind of person that he is, the passion and the drive that he’s got, he’d want to play week in week out. He’s doing that now. I think the MLS is underrated as a league.
“I don’t think he will get too much stick [when he hooks up with the national squad]. I don’t think LA’s a bad place to be,” he added.
The next generation
Trap, of course, named a pared down squad for next month’s games - leaving the likes of James McCarthy, Ciaran Clark and Marc Wilson outside the camp. St Ledger agrees it’s vital we bed in the next generation of Irish footballer.
“It’s important, you obviously need a crop of youngsters to try and progress through to the first team. Obviously if they’re around the likes of Shay Given, Damien Duff, Robbie Keane, they can learn a lot from those players.”
And thoughts on McCarthy? ”To be honest, he hasn’t really trained that much. He’s pulled out of quite a few squads from those I’ve been in. I’ve only seen him train once or twice. I can’t really give you an opinion,” he says.
St Ledger too has had some settling in to do. The defender moved to big-spending Leicester to join Sven Goran Erikson’s revolution after relegation with Preston. After a shaky start, he’s feeling at home now.
“It’s good to be working under the manager [Sven]. There’s a great set of lads there. Hopefully I can try and force my way into the team to start a bit more regularly, but that’s what I’m working on.
“It was good to play [on Tuesday night]. It was the Carling Cup, but obviously if I want to be involved, I want to start and play. I’ve played a few games this year and I feel fit, I feel match-ready.”
The centre half admits his national coach had some say in his move to Leicester. ”Sven rang Trapattoni up and asked him and I think he gave me a good recommendation. He must have.”
- Sean St Ledger was in Dublin to promote the Three Trade-in Scheme with the Friends in Ireland charity. Three is giving fans the chance to Go green with pride and trade-in their old Republic of Ireland football jerseys in any Champion Sports store nationwide and get €20 off the brand new Ireland home jersey. Find them on Facebook.
