JOSH CULLEN has been dramatically cleared to play for Ireland against Armenia tomorrow.
Stephen Kenny had been working off the basis that the Anderlecht midfielder would be unavailable for their opening Nations League opener.
That was because FIFA had informed the FAI that he was banned as a result of picking up a second booking of the World Cup qualifying campaign, even though suspensions for yellow cards do not ordinarily carry into a fresh competition.
But, on Tuesday, when Cullen was absent from a list of suspended players issued by Uefa – the FAI made fresh contact with FIFA who confirmed he was eligible to play.
Kenny said: “We actually do have him available now which surprised us all really. He’s not suspended now.
“We got the notification a long time ago from FIFA that he was suspended in the next competition.
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“I asked them to challenge that because I thought it was extremely harsh, I didn’t understand it, two yellows.
“But in the notification from Uefa, the list of players that came in the other day, he wasn’t on it as being suspended so we challenged that. He’s not suspended now.
“Whoever was working behind the scenes here did their job. It wasn’t something I was planning for so you have to adjust.”
As a result, the 26-year-old travelled out on the team charter flight to Yerevan on Wednesday when he had been earmarked for a few days’ rest.
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SunSport has confirmed with FIFA that the issue arose because of confusion around the nature of the initial query from the FAI..
Both of Cullen’s cautions came against Luxembourg and it appears the FIFA official who dealt with the enquiry was under the impression that they were received in the same game in November.
Red card suspensions do carry over into different competitions and, so, world football’s governing body indicated there was an automatic one-match ban to be served.
But, in fact, the ex-West Ham player received one caution in each of the two matches against the same opposition.
MIXED MESSAGING
When this was emphasised by the FAI on Tuesday following the receipt of Uefa’s list, FIFA confirmed that there was no ban to be served.
A FIFA spokesperson said: “It was an administrative misunderstanding. We have confirmed that there is no suspension.”
Kenny is naturally pleased to have available a player who – along with the currently-injured Matt Doherty – was one of only two ever-presents in the last campaign.
Kenny said: “Obviously I was surprised as was Josh. I brought him in early last week with a view to training for the four days and then having three or four days with his family in England.
“It all changed. Overall it’s good news. He’s delighted.”