The Republic of Ireland has arranged two International friendlies, against Sweden and The Netherlands next year, as they turn their sights to the start of the Euro 2008 qualifying matches, after having failed to qualify for next Summers World Cup Finals.

The FAI have lined up these friendlies for next year, with Sweden visiting Dublin’s Lansdowne Road in a World Cup warm-up friendly on Wednesday the 1st of March, with Holland visiting Dublin on the 16th August.

Both the Netherlands and Sweden have qualified for the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany, but unfortunately, the Republic of Ireland failed to qualify from their “Group of Death”.

The Irish team's failure to qualify cost the Republic’s manager, Brian Kerr his job in October and the FAI have still to name his successor.

The Republic of Ireland last played the Netherlands in a friendly in Amsterdam in the June of last year, when a strike from Tottenham Hotspur striker Robbie Keane earned the Republic a much-deserved 1-0 win.

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