United star backs exiled Reid
JOHN O'SHEA believes Andy Reid can play his way out of the international wilderness, but Giovanni Trapattoni has again snubbed the Sunderland man by making an emergency call to 30-year-old QPR midfielder Martin Rowlands.
Three-times capped Rowlands, who was on stand-by for the World Cup double-header against Italy and Montenegro, has benefited from the uncertainty surrounding the well-being of Steven Reid and an injury worry over Darron Gibson, who is a major doubt after sustaining a mishap at the training ground last Thursday.
Trapattoni views Rowlands as cover for his holding midfielders whereas Andy Reid has been starring for Sunderland as a winger.
With Damien Duff in danger of missing both of Ireland's remaining Group Eight qualifiers, the Irish manager had an opportunity to extend an olive branch to the Dubliner.
However, Andy Reid remains in exile, with Trap choosing to ignore the slimmed-down star's recent impressive displays in the Premier League.
While Rowlands was sent-off in QPR's Championship defeat at Swansea last Saturday, Andy Reid was on duty at Old Trafford, where he gave O'Shea a hard time.
"I played with Andy in the underage teams, from U-16 level all the way up, and I know how talented he is. He definitely could be in the squad with his ability, no doubt, but that's up to the manager," said O'Shea.
"I had a good laugh with him (Andy) on Saturday. I was trying to get him to stay out wide a bit more often and he kept disappearing on me and creating goals and stuff. Andy is a great lad and is going to do his talking on the pitch and hopefully that will be enough for him to get in the squad.
"I don't know what Steve Bruce said to him, but he must have said 'you're good enough, sort it (fitness) out and you will be playing'."
- Daniel McDonnell
Irish Independent
