Source: FOOTYMAD
Ex Doncaster Rover Paul Green selected for Irish training squad
Derby County midfielder Paul Green say he is flattered to have been called up to the Republic of Ireland's training squad. The 27-year-old has been selected by Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni to attend a summer camp in Dublin next month in preparation for the start of the Euro 2012 qualifying campaign.Trapattoni has had Green watched and wants to take a closer look at him.If Green impresses, he could be involved in the forthcoming friendlies against Paraguay and Algeria at the end of May.He is one of eight new faces called into the 23-man training squad and he is thrilled. TIN.adverts.adWriteDC('article-detail-impact-tile', '452x118'); "I was chuffed to bits when I heard. I got straight on the phone to my fiancee and then my parents. Everybody is delighted for me," said Green, in an exclusive interview with the Derby Telegraph.Green qualifies through his grandfather on his mother's side.His grandad, Patrick Cottingham, was born in Westport, County Mayo, and now lives in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, where Green was born.Green's mum, Diane, was born in England but brought up in County Mayo before she returned to this country."My mum's side of the family is Irish and this is a dream for them. When she told my grandad about the call-up he was delighted. So was my uncle, Jed Cottingham, who is a loyal fan of the Republic of Ireland team," said Green."He follows the national team closely and has always said to me that I should try to push myself forward to play for Ireland."It is typical of Green's modesty that he concentrated on his club football with Doncaster Rovers and now Derby but the Rams discovered he qualified to play for the Republic and encouraged him to register his interest."I was not sure whether anything would come of it. I hoped it would and it is really flattering - a great honour," said Green, a columnist with the Telegraph."Coming up from non-League with Doncaster, I always wanted to play at the highest level possible. I'm now in the Championship with Derby with a possibility of playing international football."The training camp runs from May 16 to 21, during which Trapattoni will assess his squad. The remaining squad members will join the camp on May 22 to prepare for the two friendlies."Training camps are useful for preparation as was proven by the one we held prior to our World Cup qualifying campaign," said Trapattoni."I look forward to working with these new players and learning firsthand what they have to offer as we begin to prepare for the European Championship qualifiers."Green is looking forward to having a chance to impress."I think there are a few new faces joining up with the squad for the first time and it will be great to be around the squad, to get a feel for it and get a chance to show people what I am all about," he said."My next aim will be to hopefully impress and try to do enough to be involved in some games."
