Martin O'Neill ready to give Republic of Ireland fringe players a chance
Tuesday 28 March 2017 15:37, UK
Martin O'Neill admits he is going to ring the changes to his Republic of Ireland team for Tuesday night's friendly visit of Iceland to the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
Most of O'Neill's first-choice XI are either injured - in the case of skipper Seamus Coleman, seriously - or have been sent back to their clubs.
Experienced quartet John O'Shea, James McCarthy, Glenn Whelan and Jon Walters have returned to Sunderland, Everton and Stoke respectively.
Robbie Brady, who was suspended for Friday's goalless World Cup Qualifier against Wales, will wear the armband and lead out a much-changed line-up.
Preston duo Andy Boyle and Daryl Horgan, Brentford defender John Egan, Derby counterpart Alex Pearce, Bristol City midfielder Callum O'Dowda, Leeds' Eunan O'Kane, Aberdeen's Jonny Hayes and Conor Hourihane of Aston Villa are among those who could benefit.
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Manager O'Neill said: "You don't want to give out caps just because they are there, you want them to earn it. But for experience, you would want that.
"Some players who have just come into the squad - like the two lads at Preston - have acquitted themselves very well in training and they are basically just starting out in their international careers.
"Some players who have been around the squad but haven't played regularly may well play as well, and whatever length of time they have on the pitch [against Iceland], it's a chance to try to impress, and that is what they will try to do.
"In all honesty and in fairness to clubs, some of the lads who played on Friday night who are still with us certainly won't start in the game and might not participate at all."
The game will bring together two sides who impressed at last summer's Euro 2016 finals, with Iceland going a stage further than Ireland by reaching the quarter-finals thanks to a victory over England.
"Iceland were brilliant at the Euros, they won on Friday night and they'll present us with a few problems," O'Neill said.
"But I'm hoping that the lads who will start in the game and who will come on will actually go and basically press a claim for future international matches."
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