European Qualifier
08.10.1999 at 19:00 -
Ian Evans ushers in a fresh wave of young Republic of Ireland talent today but is furious that his new look team has to trek half way across Macedonia to do it.
Luton Town’s teenage strikers Liam George and Gary Docherty whose goals have launched their hard up club into a surprise high flying start to the season in the Second Division are among seven new caps in a starting line up that will closely resemble the squad which won the European Youth Championship for Ireland in Cyprus last year. But manager Evans is very disappointed that they have been forced to travel nearly 100 miles outside the Macedonian capital to the little town of Ohrid for a match which has become competitively meaningless.
‘‘It looks like a tit for tat exercise by the Macedonians, who apparently were upset to be asked to play in Galway when they came to Ireland in June,’’ said Evans.
‘‘We thought it would please them because it’s a lovely part of the country and we knew the pitch at Galway United had a very good surface. But it seems they didn’t take it that way and are now extracting their revenge.
“I find it a sad state of affairs.
‘‘I don’t know what it’s like in Ohrid, but I do know it means a long trip from Skopje for an afternoon kick off and that will interfere with our preparations, having only just arrived here today.’’
Both sides are already out of the running for a place in the finals of the European Under 21 Championships next summer, the prize clinched last month by Croatia following a 5 1 beating of the Republic youngsters in Zagreb.
So Evans has opted to look firmly to the future.
As well as the Luton strike pair, there are also first caps for Celtic midfielder Colin Healy, Huddersfield’s Tom Heary, Stoke’s Clive Clarke, Liverpool winger Richie Partridge and Middlesbrough centre back Jason Gavin.
Only four players survive from the Ireland team which beat Malta 3 1 in Valetta last month and Evans admitted: ‘‘I’ve no option but to give a lot of new lads a chance at this level because most of the present squad will be too old for the competition next season.’’
He is also likely to include among the substitutes 20 year old midfielder Ronnie O’Brien who, having failed to make the grade at Middlesbrough last season, spectacularly signed for Italians giants Juventus in the summer.
O’Brien, 20, has been rubbing shoulders with stars like Zinedine Zidane and Edgar Davids in training, although he is currently on loan with Swiss side FC Lugano.
Evans, also senior team assistant to Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy, signed a new two year contract along with his boss on Wednesday.
And he has been told to carry on with the Under 21 side as well.
Republic Under 21s: O’Reilly (Northampton), Heary (Huddersfield), A O’Brien (Bradford), Gavin (Middlesbrough), Clarke (Stoke); Rowlands (Brentford), Quinn (Coventry), Healy (Celtic); Partridge (Liverpool), Doherty (Luton), George (Luton).
Subs: TBA.
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