Martin O’Neill said that everybody in the squad will feature over the two games, with the exception of the third choice keeper Rob(bie) Elliot. David Forde will definitely start in goal, according to the manager.
Some interesting quotes from Aiden McGeady about his relationship with O’Neill, Keane and Trapattoni and his own view on his international career to date from Ciarán Ó’Raghallaigh:
http://www.ciarano.me/post/67248334615/mcgeady-im-happy-roys-on-my-side-for-a-change
[SIZE=4]McGEADY: I’m Happy Roy’s On MY Side For a Change.[/SIZE]
AIDEN McGeady kissed and made up with Roy Keane this week – and admitted he’s ready to prove he’s a top player now Giovanni Trapattoni is gone.
Keane hit out at McGeady in the run up to Euro 2012, saying the Spartak Moscow winger ‘threatened to become a top, top player, but hasn’t pulled up trees and needs to do more’.
McGeady, who was at Celtic when Keane joined the Hoops in 2006, hit back labeling the Manchester United legend a motormouth.
“I played with him at Celtic and that was bad enough,” McGeady said. “He is just one of those guys who has something to say about everything.
“I got on with him as a guy, but he is just one of those guys who has an opinion on everything.”
But the pair were all smiles this week, McGeady insists, with the winger thrilled to have Keane on his side for a change.
“I just said to him to him it’s good you’re on our side now because you can’t cane me in the press anymore,” McGeady smiled.
“He’s a very professional person. I played with Roy at Celtic and I know what he’s like.
“Players have faults and I think he probably summed it up well when he said he expects more from me.
“That’s probably because he rates me and does expect more from me. He actually said it’s the ones he’s not talking about who should be worried.
“It was all friendly.”
McGeady was a regular under Trapattoni, but was charged with a more defensive role than he’d have liked – something he admits affected his enjoyment when playing for Ireland.
“I feel I could have done more, and there was a period when I wasn’t really enjoying my football,” he said.
“I don’t want to go into it because it’s probably a little bit derogatory to the old manager and stuff. “It’s not all his fault but I just felt that I was working back the pitch too much and concentrating on that instead of being instinctive and doing more going forward.
“Obviously it’s down to me as well, you know? I’ve probably underperformed but at the same time in the last couple of campaigns I’ve also felt like I’ve been one of our better players.
“I’m not saying I was fantastic but I was quite consistent with the odd bad game here and there like the rest of the team. I expect better from myself as well though.”
McGeady scored the second goal of the night on Friday, and enjoyed more time on the ball, with more freedom to attack than in most games under Trapattoni.
“It’s a little bit different but obviously every manager has a different style of play,” he said.
“Trapattoni was more careful and didn’t want anybody giving the ball away in the fist two thirds of the pitch.
“He’s been successful all his career with that and that’s the way he plays but the new manager is a little bit different.”
“I think everyone went out and played with a bit of freedom. You want to make an impression in the first game and it was nice to play from the start.”
MARTIN O’Neill has been tipped to create history with Ireland just as he did with Celtic.
The new Ireland boss took over a Hoops side in 2000 that had finished the previous season 21 points behind bitter rivals Rangers.
Rangers had won 11 of the previous 12 titles, but O’Neill landed a treble in his very first season in charge, and began a period of domination for the Parkhead side that saw the club pick up six of the next eight titles.
“Just look at his track record,” said former Hoop Aiden McGeady, who was given his Celtic debut by O’Neill in 2004.
“At Celtic he came in and changed the club’s history for a decade. He’ll be regarded as a legend at Celtic.
“Everywhere he has been he’s been successful, he just has the one minor blip at Sunderland but that wasn’t all down to himself.
“He’s come in and he has a presence, and with Roy behind him as well training this week has been pretty intense, there has been nobody slacking.
“That’s why he’s been brought in. He’ll believe he can qualify and we want to do that as well.”
McGeady scored on his debut against Hearts in Tynecastle back in 2004, and was thrilled to get on the scoresheet on O’Neill’s Ireland debut on Friday night.
“He said to me in the dressing room I was due a goal about 20 games ago,” he laughed, “and he’s right, that’s something that looms over me whenever I play for Ireland.
“I feel I can always set up goals but when I get in and around the box I think about it too much and drag my shots wide so I’m just happy to score tonight.
“He fills you with confidence. He says to you ‘go out and do what you can do, there are players out there who can’t do what you do’.
“That’s with myself and James McClean probably as well. He gives you a lot of belief.”
