Trap unusually insists on the Best

Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni has called in-form striker Leon Best into his squad for the play-off clashes with Estonia later this month. And not before time too.

Best’s omission from the original squad was a bit of a shock as it seemed like a no-brainer considering his excellent form for Newcastle so far this season.

With Kevin Doyle suspended for the first leg in Tallinn, Shane Long unlikely to play any part and doubts remaining over the fitness of Robbie Keane, the striking options within the Ireland squad were beginning to look a little thin and Trapattoni has responded by calling on the 25-year old to bolster the Irish attack.

Best has scored three goals for the Magpies this season and has formed a deadly partnership with Demba Ba as Newcastle have rocketed to the dizzying heights of third in the Premier League table.

Despite his good showings at club level, Best seems to one of a group of players not trusted by Giovanni Trapattoni, partly because what Trap deemed as a poor attitude at a training camp in the past and possibly also because he was caught baring his torso with Trap’s mortal enemy Stephen Ireland in a Newcastle nightclub earlier this year.