FOUR of Wolverhampton Wanderers’ bright young things are celebrating international call-ups as a reward for their services in helping propel Mick McCarthy’s side to the top of the Coca-Cola Championship.
Midfielder Andy Keogh and defender Kevin Foley have been called up for the Republic of Ireland’s squad to face Poland in a friendly at Croke Park on Wednesday November 19 where they will be joined by another Midland player – West Bromwich Albion keeper Dean Kiely.
Wales manager, John Toshack, has also named his squad for the friendly with Denmark in Brondby, on the same day. He has kept faith with Wolves’ talented young keeper Wayne Hennessey even though the 21-year-old is on the bench at Molineux having made way for Carl Ikeme.
There are also call-ups for midfielder Dave Edwards and striker Sam Vokes.
Wolves’ striker Chris Iwelumo will have to wait to see if he has been called up by George Burley’s Scotland for their glamour friendly with Argentina at Hampden Park next Wednesday after his nightmare debut against Norway last month in a World Cup qualifier.
The player was mauled by the media after he came off the bench to miss a glaring opportunity.
His miss has been harshly blamed for Scotland having little chance of qualifying for the World Cup in South Africa but his performances in gold and black have been blemish free and he is joint top scorer with England Under 21 hot-shot Sylvan Ebanks-Blake. The pair have scored ten apiece to cement McCarthy’s team’s position and Iwelumo played a vital role in Wolves’ 2-0 victory over Burnley at the weekend.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND SQUAD V POLAND: Goalkeepers: Shay Given (Newcastle United), Dean Kiely (WEST BROM), Joe Murphy (Scunthorpe United). Defenders: Paul McShane (Hull City), John O’Shea (Manchester United), Richard Dunne (Manchester City), Kevin Kilbane (Wigan Athletic), Alex Bruce (Ipswich Town), Damien Delaney (QPR), Kevin Foley (WOLVES). Midfielders: Aiden McGeady (Celtic), Keith Andrews (Blackburn Rovers), Darron Gibson (Manchester United), Glenn Whelan (Stoke City), Damien Duff (Newcastle United), Stephen Hunt (Reading), Liam Miller (Sunderland), Andy Keogh (WOLVES). Forwards: Robbie Keane (Liverpool), Kevin Doyle (Reading), Anthony Stokes (Sheffield United), Caleb Folan (Hull City), Shane Long (Reading).
WALES SQUAD TO FACE DENMARK: Wayne Hennessey (WOLVES), Boaz Myhill (Hull City), Neal Eardley (Oldham Athletic), Sam Ricketts (Hull City), Chris Gunter (Tottenham Hotspur), Gareth Bale (Tottenham Hotspur), Craig Morgan (Peterborough United), James Collins (West Ham), Lewin Nyatanga (Derby County), Ashley Williams (Swansea City), Jack Collison (West Ham), Joe Ledley (Cardiff City), Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal), David Edwards (WOLVES), David Vaughan (Blackpool), Carl Fletcher (Crystal Palace – on loan at Notts Forest), Simon Davies (Fulham), Jason Koumas (Wigan Athletic), Craig Bellamy (West Ham), Sam Vokes (WOLVES), Ched Evans (Manchester City).
