The 69-year-old Italian today named his squad for next month's World Cup qualifier against Georgia, and neither man was included - to the surprise of few.

However, up until a few days ago, speculation was rife that 22-year-old Manchester City midfielder Ireland would end his self-imposed exile and return to the international fold.

He is currently in the form of his life for his club and Trapattoni had made no secret of his desire to see one of the more talented men available to him play for his country once again.

But after waiting in vain for an answer, and leaving Sunderland's Reid in little doubt as to his place in the pecking order, he turned his attention to the 25 players he has called up for the game at Croke Park on February 11.

Trapattoni said: "My habit for 30 years has been I never speak about private situations - not only Reid or Ireland, but all players.

"I don't want to speak about this situation."

Trapattoni has grown increasingly weary over the Ireland issue after making it one of his first jobs following his appointment in May last year to attempt to persuade him to reconsider his decision not to play for his country.

He said, as he has done on many previous occasions: "In the first place, we met him. He said, 'When I'm ready, I will call you'.

"I cannot call him again. We will wait for him, and he must decide. Now it's up to him."

Ireland has not played for the Republic since the European Championship qualifier draw in Slovakia in September 2007.

He withdrew from the squad for the following game against the Czech Republic, initially citing the passing of his maternal grandmother, and then the death of his paternal one, before it emerged that in fact, his girlfriend had suffered a miscarriage.

The midfielder was called up for the clashes with Germany and Cyprus the following month, but again withdrew with then manager Steve Staunton revealing he was "not mentally ready to play for his country".

Reid's situation is more straightforward in that Trapattoni has adopted a system into which he simply does not see the 26-year-old - with whom he had a well-publicised difference of opinion after the first Georgia game in Germany last September - fitting.

He was left out of the squad for the friendly against Poland in November and, like Birmingham's Lee Carsley, does not seem to have any prospect of an imminent return as he also fights for a regular starting berth on Wearside.

Trapattoni said: "I choose a system. I think about Andy Reid and Lee Carsley, and I think about Ireland.

"I need the players to repeat, repeat and repeat this system and we have a problem. Three or four of our players play always for their clubs, but the others don't."

Steve Finnan, whose proposed move from Espanyol to Hull stalled over the weekend, and Stephen Kelly return to the squad after injury, but there is otherwise a familiar look about the party.

Ireland launched their Group Eight campaign with a 2-1 victory over Georgia, although the game was controversially played at a neutral venue - the Bruchweg Stadium in Mainz - because of the political situation in Tblisi at the time.

They followed that up with a hard-fought 0-0 draw in Montenegro four days later, and secured a 1-0 home win over Cyprus in October to leave themselves just three points adrift of group leaders and reigning world champions Italy with a game in hand.

Trapattoni said: "It's the first [game] of the year and with three points, we go level with Italy. This is important for morale."