Midfielder Owen Garvan is hoping that a good showing in the Irish U21 side this week will push him back into the full squad. The 20-year-old took part in the summer training camp but is yet to win a cap for Giovanni Trapattoni's side.

Garvan said: "To be a part of the squad meant that somebody was taking notice of me. All I want to do now is play for the U21s and hopefully if I do well the senior team will be watching.

"He [Trapattoni] is a lively person, he's very enthusiastic about football and that comes across. He is very eager to talk to the players and pass on what he knows about the game and that can only benefit Ireland.”

Garvan, who has been suffering with a stomach bug in recent weeks, is likely to be in the U21 side which faces Bulgaria on Friday and Portugal on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Veliche Sumulikoski is hoping to get Macedonia's World Cup qualification campaign off to a good start with a victory over Scotland in Skopje on Saturday: "We are in a very tough group [Holland, Iceland and Norway in addition to Scotland], we know that, but the first two games are key for us.

"If we can get some points from Scotland and Holland at home, it will give us a chance of achieving something in the group. If we come out of the games with nothing, it will be very difficult for us from there.

"We have a chance against Scotland but we know it will be a hard game. They did very well in their group matches in their last tournament, so they will be confident.

"It will be very hot, perhaps 30 degrees, so that will help us. It will give us an advantage perhaps, but the Scotland players will have had to cope with those temperatures in other internationals.

"I don't know George Burley but because I play for Ipswich, I know all about what he achieved at the club. He is still spoken about around the club and that is sign of how popular he is here, but hopefully he will not be smiling on Saturday."

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