Givens insists youngsters should fear no-one

Republic of Ireland Under-21 manager Don Givens insists his youngsters have proved they should fear no-one ahead of tomorrow's clash with Turkey.

Givens' team are unbeaten in four games - a run which included draws with highly rated Portugal and Germany before Friday night's unexpected 2-1 win over Spain.

In Turkey, the Republic will face another of Europe's best teams in their first 2011 European Championships qualifier in Cork, but Givens believes any inferiority complex should have been cured by recent results.

'We had a very good performance against Spain,' he told www.fai.ie. 'Whenever you score a win against the top nations you must enjoy it and after playing Portugal and Germany as well in that run, these lads are eager to play Turkey.'

He added: 'Turkey are invariably very strong at this level but we have studied videos of their team and they are very similar to the Spanish team we beat in Waterford.

'They are not a very big team but they are technically very good as you always expect them to be, they are quick and nippy in their play.

'Our players showed they could cope with opponents like this when they played Spain and we are looking for them to cope just as well against Turkey and secure a good result to get us under way.'

Rising Hamilton star James McCarthy has joined the squad after injury kept him out on Friday, while Shamrock Rovers' Ian Bermingham has been called up as cover for Seamus Coleman and Michael Liddle who have been forced to withdraw.

Givens is confident, though, that the changes will not adversely affect his squad.

'This is one of the benefits of our good preparation,' he said.

'We have been able to widen the selection so now we have plenty of cover and players available who are well capable of doing a job when they are called in.

'In many instances it is a toss of a coin which players are first choice.'