Sven-Goran Eriksson has promised Giovanni Trapattoni to do his best to persuade midfielder Stephen Ireland to return to international football.Attempting to secure Ireland's services is likely to be one of the first tasks on Trapattoni's list following his appointment as Republic of Ireland manager last week.
The 21-year-old Manchester City star has not played for his country since controversially pulling out of last September's Euro 2008 qualifier against the Czech Republic.
Ireland left the squad ahead of the match in Prague to be with his girlfriend, who had suffered a miscarriage, but only after controversially claiming both his grandmothers had died.
Eriksson, who led England in three major tournaments, hopes Ireland reconsiders his subsequent decision to withdraw his services, particularly with a World Cup qualifying campaign beginning next season.
The Swede said: "I am willing to help him [Trapattoni] try to convince Stephen Ireland to play for his country, absolutely. I agree 100 per cent he should play for his country.
"You can't force people but I hope he will do it because I think maybe one day he will regret it if he doesn't.
"I have been working in club football and international football and every match, wherever you are, Champions League or Premier League, is big.
"But the biggest, by far, is to be part of a World Cup. You cannot compare that with anything else in football."
Former Italy coach Trapattoni was the eventual choice of the Football Association of Ireland after a protracted search to find Steve Staunton's successor.
The 68-year-old boasts a wealth of experience and Eriksson feels working with him can only benefit a promising player such as Ireland.
Eriksson added: "I haven't spoken to him [Trapattoni] yet but I hope that he will phone me. It is always a pleasure to speak to Trapattoni.
"He is an amazing man, a big football man and a very nice man. I am sure he will do a great job. He is good at man-to-man coaching, very good."
Another City player who could have an international future is 20-year-old goalkeeper Joe Hart, who has made himself Eriksson's first choice after a number of impressive performances this season.
England manager Fabio Capello recently expressed his concern at the standard of goalkeeping in the country but admitted he had seen a promising player in the under-21 side.
That has led people to deduce that it is Hart that has caught his eye and, if so, Eriksson admits he is not surprised.
"I don't know if he meant him but I always said that one day Joe Hart will play for England," Eriksson said.
"It is very much up to Capello but sooner or later he will play for England if everything goes without problems - injuries and things like that.
"I think he has that quality although he has not yet got a lot of experience."
City have not played since their superb derby victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford almost a fortnight ago due to their early elimination from the FA Cup.
They return to Premier League action on Monday when Everton, one of their rivals for a European spot, visit the City of Manchester Stadium.
Eriksson has close to a full-strength squad available with Elano and Vedran Corluka back from suspension and midfielder Michael Johnson in contention after two months on the sidelines.
Summer signing Valeri Bojinov, the Bulgaria striker, is now City's only absentee but he too, after a knee operation earlier in the season, is back in training.
Eriksson is delighted with the strength of his squad and hopes to secure a further boost by tying key defender Richard Dunne to a new contract in
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