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O'Neill says he may try "three at the back" in the coming days. Donall Farmer/INPHO
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O'Neill vows to experiment in Ireland's summer friendlies

“This is an opportunity, it’s ideal for me but not ideal for the players,” the coach added.

MARTIN O’NEILL SAYS he will experiment with various players and formations in Ireland’s forthcoming summer friendlies.

The Boys in Green play Turkey at the Aviva Stadium this evening, in what is only the Derry native’s fourth match in charge as manager — none of which have been competitive.

The upcoming games represent a vital chance for the manager to get to know his side, having been handed a rare opportunity to work with his men for an extended period, and O’Neill says he will use all of the players available to him at one point or another and may even try out “three at the back” at some stage.

“This is an opportunity, it’s ideal for me but not ideal for the players,” he said. “We have a number of players here who’ve given up their time. I don’t want players to be hanging around for three weeks and not get a game.”

“[We could] play three at the back, just so it’s not unfamiliar if we have to do it in a Championship game.”

O’Neill indicated he could start Newcastle goalkeeper Rob Elliot tonight, with the player missing his stag party to make these games, while adding that he would definitely be involved at some stage in the coming days if not this evening.

He also added he’d be open to the prospect of calling up additional players, such as Leyton Orient’s Dave Mooney, who will be hoping to impress in the League One play-off final today.

The Ireland manager played down the lack of emerging strikers in the set-up, while acknowledging that players such as Kevin Doyle and Shane Long need to “try and score a few more goals”.

O’Neill is hopeful his side can pick up wins in the upcoming matches as they bid to pick up confidence ahead of their vital Euro 2016 qualifiers.

The 62-year-old coach expects a tough test in the coming days, with even Turkey impressing of late despite not qualifying for the World Cup.

“It’s the last opportunity for a few of [the teams] before the World Cup, so you’d imagine they’d go as strongly as possible [with their player selection].

“Turkey are strong. I watched a couple of DVDs. There’s an emphasis on young players from the recent games they’ve played.”

It is just the second match between the teams since the Republic memorably crashed out of a Euro 2000 qualifying play-off game against the Turks and their first game since the 2003 friendly — when a last-minute Richard Dunne goal earned the Brian Kerr-managed side a 2-2 draw at Lansdowne Road.

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