Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni to decide team to face Germany

Giovanni Trapattoni: Confident despite injuries to key players

Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni knows he has key decisions to make for Friday's game against Germany.

Both teams have 100 per cent records going into this World Cup qualifier but Ireland will be without the services of Richard Dunne, Sean St Ledger, Glenn Whelan, Kevin Doyle and James McClean.

And Trapattoni acknowledges it will require consideration ahead of a vital match.

"We are missing five players, but I am confident about the quality we have, and two or three players have grown a little bit in personality."
Giovanni Trapattoni

The 73-year-old said on Monday: "I have to decide in two days. After tomorrow, we will decide.

"We are missing five players, but I am confident about the quality we have, and two or three players have grown a little bit in personality.

"I am optimistic because I know the German players, I know their attitude, their quality, but we also have a little bit of that quality and discipline.

"I am confident about this."

He added: "Glenn is a big loss to us because nobody else really plays in his exact position.

"We have Keith Andrews, we have also James McCarthy and Keith Fahey, but they are a little bit different.

"McCarthy is fast, David Meyler is tall, which could be important against this opponent and Keith Fahey is also good technically. They have different qualities."

Options

Trapattoni could opt for three central midfielders to play behind Robbie Keane and the Italian is comfortable that his experienced forward is up to the challenge.

He said: "Robbie Keane has good personality and we need also a striker to keep the ball and use it to bring others into play.

"But we have a good balance with our strikers. We have Shane Long and we have also on Jon Walters and Simon Cox, who has played many times wide, and the substitutions will be very, very important in this game."

The former Bayern Munich boss gains much of his confidence from the timing of the fixture - secure in the knowledge that his players have the early-season energy to trouble Germany.

He added: "It's the start of the season and we have fresh energy. It's not March or April, the players are fresh.

"In spring, it (can) usually go down, but now we have energy. I have said to the players we must give 100 per cent energy. Only with this can we confront Germany."