Mick McCarthy has recalled veteran midfielder Glenn Whelan to the Republic of Ireland squad, five months after it was presumed that the 35-year old had made his final appearance for the national side.
Whelan earned his 85th cap last November, captaining the team in the friendly against Northern Ireland. And while beforehand he stressed he would never 'do the international retirement thing', there was a valedictory air to his inclusion on the evening.
However, new manager McCarthy feels that Whelan can still fulfill a role for Ireland and, having ascertained that the Aston Villa player hadn't officially retired, has included him in the provisional squad ahead of the Gibraltar and Georgia games.
"I asked him if he'd retired and he said no he hadn't," McCarthy told today's press conference.
"Whether he 'was retired' rather than he retired himself, I don't know.
"He's playing very well. He's playing with Conor Hourihane as well so there's a bit of a partnership.
"I wondered about our squad of midfield players and whether someone can do a specific role as a sitter. He certainly can. Whether he ends up in the final squad remains to be seen or not. But I've been impressed by him.
"I might want him for a specific game at any stage. I think just knowing that he's not been forgotten about, that he's still being thought about as a player that can do a job in the national team, he'll be pleased with that I'd have thought."
McCarthy also made contact with Nottingham Forest striker Daryl Murphy who insisted that he had retired. However, after being pressed further by McCarthy on the possibility of a future return, Murphy's final answer, according to the Republic of Ireland manager, was "we'll see".
