McIlroy names squad for opening Euro 2004 qualifier

Northern Ireland manager Sammy McIlroy has named his squad for the opening Euro 2004 qualifier against Spain in Albacete on October 12.

McIlroy has named what is probably his strongest squad of players since taking over as manager.

However his team will be up against a Spainish side that defeated Northern Ireland 5-0 in a pre-World Cup warm-up friendly at Windsor Park earlier in the year.

Into the team comes Leicester City's Gerry Taggart, who has not played for his country since February last year. Crowd favourite Taggart has been dogged by injuries over the past couple of years but is likely to start in the heart of the defence against the Spaniards.

In-form strikers Paul McVeigh and Andy Kirk have also been called up. McVeigh should be pushing for a place in the starting line-up having scored eight goals for Norwich already this season.

Also back in the squad are Aaron Hughes, Stephen Lomas, Michael Hughes and Philip Mulryne – who should all start barring any injuries in this weekend's club fixtures.

However, McIlroy is without the midfield pairing of Jim Magilton and Neil Lennon. Magilton has retired from international football while Lennon has said he will not play for his country again following a death threat made against him in August before a friendly fixture with Cyprus.

However, the absence of Lennon should not destabilise the Northern Ireland squad too much given that he had not been playing on a regular basis for his country.

The full Northern Ireland squad for next Saturday is: Taylor, Carroll, Griffin, Murdock, Williams, McCartney, M Hughes, A Hughes, Taggart, Johnson, Horlock, Gillespie, Healy, Mulryne, Lomas, Quinn, McVeigh, Kirk.

(MB)