Republic of Ireland manager Steve Staunton has challenged his shadow squad to prove their worth to him on tour in the United States.
With Euro 2008 qualifiers against Slovakia and the Czech Republic coming up in September, a touring squad already missing 25 possible players through injury, personal commitment or the need for rest now presents an opportunity for otherwise overlooked players to shine.
Nine uncapped players are in a 20-man squad captain by Kevin Kilbane for the two-game American tour with the Irish playing Ecuador at Giants Stadium in New Jersey on Wednesday night and Bolivia at the Gillette Stadium near Boston on Saturday.
The Ireland manager is urging all his players to contend for places in next season's competitive squads.
'They've all done very well,' Staunton said as the squad completed training at Rutgers University.
'We know about them, we've had most of them monitored and they've come in here and done very well for themselves.
'It's given me a nice little headache for August and September. Kevin Kilbane's probably got double, triple the whole squad in caps but they're out here to prove to us that they're good enough, maybe, to be considered. Some of them look closer than others but it's down to them to try.
Staunton revealed he had a 'good idea' of the make-up of his team to face Ecuador and that he hoped to use as many of his travelling players as possible over the course of the two friendlies.
'We're only allowed to use six subs so we'll try and give everybody a run. They've all been very good to come out, they're all keen and eager and it would be nice to give everyone a run.
'Whether it happens or not, I don't know. We'll see how the first one goes and take it from there.'
Staunton, who was forced to move training sites after the intended facility at Montclair State University was hit by heavy rain last week, also reacted strongly to criticism from eircom League leading scorer Roy O'Donovan over his omission from the US tour squad.
The Cork City striker, who has scored 13 goals in all competitions this season, told RTE he had been surprised and disappointed to have been overlooked, citing that of the last Ireland B squad members only he and Stephen McPhail had been omitted.
Staunton was unapologetic, saying he had enough strikers to choose from already.
He said: 'When you've got seven strikers it's very hard. It's going to be unfortunate that two or three strikers are not going to get a look-in.
'What's the point in taking people when you've got so many in that department?
'And as for Stephen McPhail, Roy doesn't know what he's on about because I have spoken to Stephen McPhail and if he wasn't going in for an operation he'd be here.
'Outside of what we've got at the moment Roy's just got to keep doing what he's doing, like everybody.
'We've still got Clinton (Morrison), Alan Lee, and there are still others that are out there. At the moment I want to look at Daryl Murphy, Anthony Stokes and Andy Keogh.
'It's frightening. When I first took the job we were looking at Kevin Doyle and a rookie with Robbie Keane. Now look, it's great.'
