Source: Daily_Mail
Rep of Ireland 1 South Africa 0: Liam Lawrence fires reminder to Trapattoni
Liam Lawrence hopes he has convinced Giovanni Trapattoni he has a part to play in Ireland's World Cup adventure after his superb match-winner in Thomond Park.
The Stoke midfielder marked his second Ireland start with a perfectly-executed free-kick to seal an unconvincing win over World Cup hosts South Africa.
Lawrence admitted he was disappointed not to get a run-out in Saturday's qualifying win in Cyprus, but he is ready to face Italy in Croke Park next month.
He said: `It plants a seed in the manager's head for the next qualifier, so hopefully I will be involved again.
`If I continue to improve with Stoke and play regularly there, then I have got every chance of being involved again for the next match.
`It was really good to get a full 90 minutes under my belt on Irish turf, and I am absolutely delighted with the win as well.
`It was not a second string team, but there were a few fringe players thrown in tonight, including myself, and it was important we went out there and gave a good account of ourselves, and I thought we did that.
`I was just dying to get involved. I was disappointed on Saturday not being involved, but you just have to channel that into the right areas and work hard in training and wait for your chance, and I have done.
`We have got a massive game at the weekend against Chelsea, but I don't think I'll catch one like that again for a while. I caught it well and luckily it went in - and it ended to be the winning goal, so I am delighted.'
Something to shout about: Giovanni Trapatton
Something to shout about: Giovanni Trapattoni was pleased with the performance of his young team
Trapattoni will fly to Turin with his assistant Marco Tardelli to see Italy's crucial clash with Bulgaria.
He refused to discuss the game or the remainder of the qualifiers. `I do not want to jinx anything,' he said, as he dramatically crossed fingers on both hands.
The Ireland manager was satisfied with the win, although conceded South Africa's dominance in possession had caused some concern among the Irish coaching staff.
He added: `I wanted to see some personality as well as the performance and it confirmed my opinion about Lawrence and Nolan because I saw them in the club and in training and I was not so sure.
`It gives me hope to have a squad with ability. sure South Africa had more possession but I expected that from a team like them.
`It was important that three or four of the young players got to play - I wanted to see their qualities - and I have seen them now.'
Trapattoni revealed he and assistant Marco Tardelli have tried to find former Sunderland midfielder Liam Miller a club but so far without success. Miller was included in last night's squad ahead of the likes of Andy Reid, Lee Carsley and Mark Yeates even though he has been unable to secure a club during the summer.
The Ireland boss said: `Liam is a good player, tactically and we have told Italian clubs about him. We are hopeful he will find a club because he is in our squad and if we had scored a second goal I would have played him.
`He is a clever player. He doesn't have great morale. he is very humble person, he's not presumptuous or arrogant.'
