1. Damien Duff
Injuries, lack of form and no preseason training in about 4 years has meant that Duff has gone on a steady decline since transfering to Newcaslte in 2006. However, back in the 04/05 season, Duff was playing the best football of his life and everything seemed to be going right for him. He may have failed to recapture the same form for the following season but I'm confident that Duff still has a lot more to offer his club and the Republic Of Ireland in the near future. I'm sure few people have forgotten his blistering runs down the flanks and I'm also sure a lot of people would like to see them again. If he gets a good preseason under his belt and if Keegan works some of his magic on him, who knows - 08/09 may turn out to be a great season for the Duffer.

2. Kevin Doyle
Doyle had a fantastic debut season in the Premier League. He finished as Reading's top goal scorer with 13 goals and he was nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year award. His second season with Reading, however, was not as successful. He went through lengthy goal droughts and only managed to score 6 goals throughout the whole league campaign and to top things off, Reading were relegated. I'm sure Doyle will be successful in the Championship, but if Ireland want to qualify for the World Cup in 2010, Trapattoni will need as many of his players as possible to be plying their trade in the Premier League, if not another top league somewhere in Europe. If one of the new Premier League sides need a striker, Doyle is definitely worth a punt, in my opinion. His experience could prove to be invaluable and so could his goals. However, with Reading having just sold Dave Kitson and Doyle under contract until 2010, it's not likely that he will be allowed to leave. He's still young at 24, but I can't see him doing any major improving while playing in the Championship.

3. Shay Given
Unfortunately, Shay missed large parts of the 07/08 campaign thanks to a groin injury. However, he's had a successful surgery done on it and judging by what he has been saying over the past couple of weeks his recovery is going very well and he's feeling great. Given is, in my opinion, the best player in the Ireland squad at the moment and he's arguably one of the greatest players ever to have represented the Republic Of Ireland. He's carried the team more than once and just like Duff, if this guy gets back in action as soon as possible and if he gets a decent preseason done, he will no doubt be the star of the show in Ireland games in the months to come (although I'm not entirely sure that that's a good thing).