Giovanni Trapattoni has included Stephen Ireland in an end-of-season Republic of Ireland training camp despite the midfielder quitting international duty.

The 21-year-old Manchester City player turned his back on international football last October when he lied about being unavailable to play because he said two of his grandmothers had died.

Both were alive and Ireland also missed the games against the Czech Republic and Slovakia to be with his partner, who had suffered a miscarriage.

He quit the Republic of Ireland international scene soon after.

Yet Trapattoni, who takes charge of the Republic this summer, has included Ireland in his 40-man training camp and pleaded the midfielder to reconsider. Club boss Sven Goran Eriksson has encouraged Ireland to take 12-months off from internationals but to also rethink his earlier decision to quit entirely.

"I hope Trapattoni will come here one day and speak to Stephen," Eriksson told the Daily Star.

"I don't know if Stephen has decided to accept the invitation to return, but I know that he wants to meet Giovanni."

More news from SportingLife.com