Grieving Keane may miss out

Growing injury list
The AC Milan defender has a thigh strain and joins FC Midtjylland goalkeeper Peter Skov-Jensen, defender Kaspar Bøgelund and FC København midfield player Thomas Røll Larsen on a growing injury list.

No further reinforcements
Having already added VfB Wolfsburg defender Thomas Rytter, Bolton Wanderers FC midfield player Per Frandsen and Aalborg BK goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen to his squad coach Morten Olsen has resisted calling up any further reinforcements.

Keane doubt
Republic of Ireland striker Robbie Keane is unlikely to play any part in his country's Group 10 fixtures in Georgia and Albania following the sudden death of his father. "Our thoughts are with Robbie at this difficult time and we send our thoughts to him and his family," a statement from the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) read. "Robbie Keane has gone to be with his family following the death of his father, Robbie senior. Manager Brian Kerr has sent his condolences to the Keane family on behalf of the team management, staff and players."

Lee call-up
Leeds United AFC defender Ian Harte has definitely withdrawn from the Ireland squad to spend time with his family after the birth of his first son. As a result, manager Kerr has called up Manchester City FC defender Richard Dunne, Leeds United midfield player Stephen McPhail and striker Alan Lee who has scored 14 goals for English first division side Rotherham United FC this season.

Kaladze out
Georgia will face Ireland without AC Milan full-back Kakha Kaladze who has a groin injury which has forced him out of Saturday's game, as well as his country's next Group 10 game against Switzerland the following Wednesday.

Defensive cover
Poland coach Pawel Janas has added KS Amika Wronki defender Jaroslaw Bieniuk to his squad for the Group 4 qualifiers against Hungary and San Marino as cover for Jacek Zielinski who has been suffering with a leg injury.

Aliyev to miss out
Azerbaijan striker Samir Aliyev has revealed that he is almost certain to miss the Group 9 qualifier against Wales on Saturday after aggravating a groin injury during a league game for Ukranian side FC Volyn Lutsk. He said: "It's an old injury and it's come at the wrong time. I'll have to wait and see if it responses to treatment."

The Azeri Giggs
Coach Asgar Abdullayev admitted that the loss of Aliyev was tantamount to Wales being without Ryan Giggs. "He means the same to me as Giggs does for Wales coach Mark Hughes," he said. Hughes meanwhile has drafted in Aston Villa FC youngster Rob Edwards and Cardiff City FC's Steve Jenkins to his squad.

Holovko recall
Olexandr Holovko has been recalled by Ukraine for the UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifier against Spain after being initially omitted from coach Leonid Buryak's 24-man squad. The FC Dynamo Kyiv captain will provide defensive cover for Arsenal FC's Oleg Luzhnyi and SV Werder Bremen's Viktor Skrypnyk who have both succumbed to injury.

No replacement
Finally, Northern Ireland manager Sammy McIlroy has confirmed that he has no plans to call up a replacement for injured Wigan Athletic FC defender Peter Kennedy who has a thigh strain. "We have enough cover at the moment," he said. However, McIlroy has lost the services of Norwich City FC midfield player Phil Mulryne who has failed to recover from a hip injury in time for the trip to Armenia on Saturday. Michael Hughes has been drafted into the squad in Mulryne's place, despite not having played a club game this season.

Click here for yesterday's EURO 2004™ squad news