Manchester City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson hopes Stephen Ireland will return to the Republic of Ireland squad under new boss Giovanni Trapattoni.Ireland infamously withdrew from his country's squad during their European Championship qualifying campaign after lying about the death of his grandmother.

Eriksson is eager for him to fulfil his international potential, although he left him on the bench for Saturday's Premier League defeat at Reading in front of new Republic assistant boss Liam Brady.

The Swede said: "Trapattoni is very keen that Stephen Ireland would be coming (back) and I told Stephen that.

"I said 'you should play for your country, because that is important'.

"I think Trapattoni will come one day up to Manchester to speak with him, then what the outcome will be, I do not know.

"But I am supporting Trapattoni there, but you cannot force people to play if they do not want to."

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