A change of manager at international level may just pave the way for Wes Hoolahan to make his mark for the Republic of Ireland, after Giovanni Trapattoni named him in his preliminary 40-man squad for the friendly games with Serbia and Columbia in May.

The call-up follows the wingers appearance for the Ireland B squad against their Scottish counterparts in November. The squad will be whittled down to 28 in early May as the national side begin a new era under Trapattoni and assistant Liam Brady, starting with a training camp in the Algarve.