Soccer:Republic of Ireland assistant manager Marco Tardelli says Shay Given is "100 per cent" fit ahead of the opening Euro 2012 fixture against Croatia on Sunday, despite the goalkeeper sitting out another full training session in Gdynia, Poland, today.
The Donegal man has taken just a bit-part role in activities since playing 45 minutes against Hungary in Budapest on Monday and this morning he trained away from the main group with goalkeeping coach Alan Kelly.
However, speaking afterwards Tardelli said: “Today he rested because he knows his body and I think he is ready to play,” he said. “Everything is good, he decides to work, sometimes yes, sometimes no, because he knows.”
Pressed on the matter after some reports this week suggested there were lingering doubts over the Aston Villa goalkeeper’s fitness, he added: “100 per cent, he’s good.”
After a day off yesterday, the rest of the squad took part in what looked a fairly lively training match at the Arka Stadium in Gdynia.
After a day off yesterday, the rest of the squad took part in what looked a fairly lively 11-aside at the Arka Stadium in Gdynia. There was, however, no indication as to what the manager might have in store for the Croats and, in any case, Tardelli reiterated the plan was to start again with the
team that took to the field in Budapest, though he suggested a tactical tweak was likely.
"We have 23 players and we can change some things but at this moment the team that played against Hungary played very well and we have to prepare for the match against Croatia in a different way."
Whether that involves the captain dropping into a deeper role remains to be seen, but Robbie Keane said any change would be minimal and may just involve him keeping Luka Modric on his toes.
"We've done the same system since the manager took over and the players are used to that," haid on his way to the team bus. "If there was an adjustment, it would be just little minor things, I think. As players you're always set different roles when you go out on to the pitch ...myself, for example, to sit on the holding midfielder and don't let him dictate the game too much.
"It would be little small things like that, I wouldn't say it would be formation changes, we wouldn't automatically go to 4-3-3 or something like that when we haven't done it for a long time."
