Sunderland captain John O'Shea has paid tribute to Republic of Ireland teammate Glenn Whelan.
The Stoke City midfielder is due to earn his 50th cap.
O'Shea said: "Glenn has been around the squad for a while and he has been doing his stuff for Stoke in the Premier League.
"His 50 caps has come around quick and he is one of the unsung heroes who gets glossed over, but the players appreciate him when we go into tough battles in European games.
"You know exactly what you get with Glenn, he is able to do more than mix it, he can produce brilliant moments passing and shooting.
"He is a valuable member of the squad, hopefully it will go well for him on Wednesday and there are many more caps to come."
