Ireland ready to play for Trapattoni

Stephen Ireland is ready to end his exile from the Republic of Ireland team. The Manchester City midfielder has not played for his country since he was exposed for an elaborate lie about the deaths of his two grandmothers but he is understood to be willing to return to the squad when Giovanni Trapattoni takes charge.

Senior figures at the Football Association of Ireland have been made aware that the midfielder's position has softened and that he will make himself available when Trapattoni names his squad for a friendly against Serbia on May 24.

Sven-Goran Eriksson, the City manager, has spoken at length with Ireland about the matter and Richard Dunne has also been encouraging his team-mate to resume his international career.

Eriksson now intends to talk to Trapattoni to let it be known that Ireland seems to have overcome some of the personal difficulties that troubled him earlier in the season.

"I am willing to do anything I can to help to convince Stephen that it is the right decision," said Eriksson. "I really hope he will go back because otherwise I think there will be a day when he regrets it. He is a fine player and he deserves to be playing for his country."

Martin O'Neill believes the Aston Villa striker John Carew has the potential to become "one of the best centre- forwards in Europe" if the Norwegian can maintain the form that brought a first hat-trick in English football against Newcastle two weeks ago. That landmark provided a measure of Carew's potential, with O'Neill claiming that the striker often underestimates his contribution and, with a touch more consistency, could develop into one of the leading striker's on the continent.

"Some of the games John has felt he hasn't been effective and then you listen to the opposition managers and they say to me he has been a handful all afternoon," said O'Neill, who takes sixth-placed Villa to Reading tomorrow. "But if he plays like he did in the second half against Newcastle, he's unstoppable. He's got the ability and I think, if he can get that consistency also, there's no reason to stop him from being one of the best centre-forwards in Europe."

Carew's arrival from Lyon further restricted Luke Moore's opportunities, with the striker joining West Bromwich Albion on loan this week in a deal that will see Villa receive £3.5m when it becomes permanent in the summer.

Moore's departure means O'Neill has sold four graduates of the youth team since he took over 18 months ago - Gary Cahill, Liam Ridgewell and Steven Davis have also moved on - although O'Neill insists he had no desire to sanction any of the moves.

"There's not been a player here who I would have wanted to push out of the door. There is a stage players reach where they feel if they are not going to play regularly they want to play regularly somewhere else. All four felt they were Premiership players. Players are going to be unhappy but we have raised £15m. Most of the players have sell-on clauses. If one of those players became worth £10m or £15m and Villa got some benefit out of it, then great."