Coleman set to return against Poland

Why is he with the squad if not fully fit?

Let’s just imagine he is fit, Martinez has presumably let him join the squad on that basis unlike Stones who was withdrawn.

Surely a run out for the Republic can only be a good thing in gaining match fitness ahead of the Man Utd game.

Cue him pulling up after 15 minutes clutching his hamstring!

On an other point, I seem to recall that the lack of an International break was the only thing that prevented England from competing with the best countries at the World Cups. We’ve had these breaks for several years now and Engerlund are as bad as ever.

Martinez cannot unilaterally rule him out of contention. He must release him. I don’t think Keane is involved in the process.

International managers do not give a shit about clubs; they only want their pounds worth of flesh and sod the consequences.

I am sure Seamus wants to play but commonsense should prevail here and if his injury flares up again they should be responsible.

With having a strong back up at the club, I’m not worried as much as I would have been last season about him playing for Ireland.

Whilst injuries might not bankrupt the England FA, can you imagine what it would do if Argentina or Brazil, or Spain had to pay those wages to the clubs? They would go bankrupt.

Personally I'm not really concerned about the financial state of Spanish football, for instance. I mean, are Barcelona or Real Madrid relying on Sky TV to keep going?

We are.

When you think of the number of Premier League players who trot off to the AFCON during the season, it’s becoming a bit of a joke. You can’t even take your kids out of school for a week in Malaga without getting fined...

If Scotland lose tomorrow night we'll be guaranteed to finish third. In that case I'd say Seamus will be back on Merseyside.

Whilst I desperately want to see him playing on Sunday if there's something to play for I can understand other Blues' reservations.

However, this is potentially Seamus's biggest international game we're talking about. If we get through he'll get to play at his first major tournament at the peak of his career. Surely no Blue would suggest he be stopped?

Since when did Gibson have any fitness level?

To answer your question, I don’t know.

He missed the start of the season 2013-14 but played for Ireland against Germany and then some game time for Everton before the injury to his ACL in October 2013. There’s no evidence to suggest the injury related to previous injuries or lack of game time but who knows?

It seems with Gibbo, although I don’t believe in bad luck, he just seems to one of those players that injuries follow around.

Getting excited now. Not about the game, but about the Brady v Dunphy argument pre-game. It's just a pity the late great Bill O'Herlihy won't be there to ref it.

We just have to accept that, like Saha, there’s a reason Man Utd sold him, and sold on the cheap. As good as he is, and I think he could be our best player, he has to be let go when his contract ends.

On Gibson, I just pointed out that his ACL injury wasn’t necessarily related to a previous injury or lack of game time as Colin was perhaps suggesting. He could probably do with a a few minutes over the two games which I’d say Martinez would welcome. Hopefully he won’t be needed.

But you have to hope that he does have a future ahead of him when he can play possibly 25-30 matches a season. If not, then he may want to do his body a favour and quit. He last did that in the 2012-13 season, many could well have been sub appearances.

Who would even want him on a pay-as-you-play basis?

I'm not a big fan – even on min wage I’d move him on. Sorry, Gibbo lad, but you know, do us a favour and contribute something sometime soon please.

In answer to your opinion, FIFA issued a bulletin back in 2012 on the ’FIFA Club Protection Programme’ in which the clubs are indemnified for injuries to their players on International duty. Probably known in FIFA circles as the Gibson clause.

There is a 98-page document available to read. It stipulates a max of €20k per day compensation, where a player is unable to play for his club for 28 days afterwards. However, there is a clause relating to ’existing injuries’, an injury for which the player is receiving treatment at the start of the ’operative time’ – presumably the start of the International break. This is why managers/clubs are unwilling to release players who are on the injured list when the break starts. In Ireland’s case, I think Roy Keane may be prepared to cough up the compensation himself.

Fingers crossed all will go well for Seamus and he can contribute to another historic Irish victory and get him to a Finals tournament. The match against Poland was always going to be the key match, as the German match was not expected to be a source of points, so I would guess that Seamus was always expected to be fit for Sunday and never risked last night.

James McCarthy was immense last night.