McClean injury latest blow for Trapattoni

The 73-year-old Italian has been hit by a series of withdrawals through injury and will head into Friday’s clash with the Group C favourites in Dublin without six of the men who started the 2-0 defeat by Italy in their final Euro 2012 fixture, with Shay Given and Damien Duff having retired and Sean St Ledger, Glenn Whelan, James McClean and Kevin Doyle having joined Richard Dunne on the casualty list.

McClean’s absence was confirmed early yesterday when the Football Association of Ireland revealed that a scan on Wearside had revealed a hip flexor strain which will prevent the Sunderland winger from playing against the Germans and could yet keep him out of next Tuesday’s trip to the Faroe Islands.

A spokesman said: “The results of James McClean’s scan this morning showed a grade one hip flexor strain which will certainly rule him out for the Germany match and may exclude him for the Faroe Islands.”

He was swiftly joined on the sidelines by St Ledger and Whelan when scans confirmed the full extent of the hamstring injuries the pair suffered on club duty with Leicester and Stoke respectively over the weekend.

The spokesman said: “Sean St Ledger and Glenn Whelan have been confirmed as out of both matches against Germany and the Faroe Islands.”

Trapattoni has drafted in Aston Villa defender Ciaran Clark with Sunderland’s David Meyler and Manchester United’s Robbie Brady having already joined up as additional players. Los Angeles Galaxy striker Robbie Keane and Spartak Moscow midfielder Aiden McGeady will arrive in time for training today.

John O’Shea is likely to be asked to move into central defence, with Stephen Kelly replacing him at full-back. James McCarthy, Meyler and Keith Fahey are candidates to fill the berth vacated by regular central midfielder Whelan, with Trapattoni hinting that he may opt for five men in the middle of the pitch behind a lone striker.