Here’s the team Noel King is sending out to play Germany tonight

No Robbie Keane...

We're not used to having to wait until this close to a game to have an Ireland team named, with Giovanni Trapattoni a firm believer in the 'here's our XI a day early' policy. Thankfully Noel King has brought some normality back to Irish football by naming his team as late as possible, so here it is, just one hour before kick-off in Cologne. The big news is the absence of Keane, with Kevin Doyle and Anthony Stokes leading the line. Stephen Kelly also starts in defence, with Glenn Whelan, Darron Gibson and James McCarthy in the centre of midfield.

Tonight's Ireland team: Forde, Coleman, Delaney, Kelly, Clark, Whelan, Gibson, McCarthy, Wilson, Doyle, Stokes. #COYBIG #GerIrl — FAI (@FAIreland) October 11, 2013

Seamus Coleman is the skipper, on his 25th birthday Will it be good enough? We will soon know. And here's the German side, via Daniel McDonnell

Germany team: Neuer, Lahm, Mertesacker, Boateng, Jansen; Khedira, Schweinsteiger; Kroos, Ozil, Schurrle; Muller - Bayern style approach

— Daniel McDonnell (@McDonnellDan) October 11, 2013