'B' squad to get chance in friendly; LATEST INTERNATIONAL NEWS.

Byline: By PAUL O'HEHIR

GIOVANNI Trapattoni will cast his eye over Ireland's fringe players in a friendly game days before next month's World Cup qualifier against Cyprus.

A Republic of Ireland 'B' team will play a European club side in Dublin or Bray on Saturday, October 11 as preparation for the Croke Park international.

That same night, Ireland's Group 8 rivals are in qualifying action with Bulgaria hosting Italy and Cyprus travelling to Georgia.

And Trapattoni doesn't want to be left out. He sees the friendly as an ideal opportunity to gain more of an insight into peripheral figures like Sunderland's Andy Reid (inset).

The idea was born out of a conversation Trapattoni, Marco Tardelli and Liam Brady had with FAI chief John Delaney on the flight home from Montenegro last week.

"Giovanni has asked for a possible B game so he can use the players that have not been involved in the Georgia and Montenegro games," said Delaney, who hopes to confirm details of the game in the coming days.

"We might do it on a Saturday afternoon so it does not interfere with the eircom League schedule.

"You would prefer to play a League of Ireland selection but it's right in the middle of the league season.

"And the fact that we don't have a senior international on that Saturday means that we will probably be looking at a club side from Britian or Europe."

The Republic of Ireland players will be arriving into Dublin that Saturday anyway ahead of the Wednesday Croke Park showdown with bogey team Cyprus.

"He will have the senior squad in so he can pick his B side," added Delaney. "I think it's a very worthwhile exercise. He would like to see some of the players whom he has not seen competitively in an Irish shirt."

Trapattoni has already indicated he is unlikely to radically overhaul his team or tactics ahead of the upcoming three-in-a-row home qualifiers in Dublin.

His set-up for the recent double-header on the road wasn't exactly adventurous but served its purpose as Ireland secured four points from a possible six.

With little in the way of change expected ahead of the Cyprus game, Trapattoni's logic in scheduling this friendly game is entirely sound.

At times, he's also reluctant to empty his substitutes bench during games so any glimpse of fringe players in action will be beneficial.

Meanwhile, Ireland assistant boss Marco Tardelli declared himself pleased with the results and performances against Georgia and Montenegro.

He predicted Montenegro will prove a real handful for every team in the group and the fact Ireland emerged from Podgorica with a point could prove valuable.

Also, Tardelli expressed his delight with Kevin Doyle's explosion of form at club level. Neither has he concerns that Robbie Keane cant buy a goal at Liverpool.

Of Doyle, who bagged his second hat-trick this season on Tuesday, he said: "I am very happy because when I went to see him I believed in him. He proved me right.

"Robbie Keane is playing very well for Liverpool. I look at the matches and he has played well," added Tardelli who managed the Ireland skipper at Inter Milan.

"It does not matter who scores for us, whether it's Kevin Doyle, Kevin Kilbane or Glenn Whelan, it's ok."

CAPTION(S):

IN CHARGE Trapattoni and Tardelli ponder the next move