The 27-year-old Reading midfielder will replace the injured Damien Duff for the game at the Bruchweg Stadium in Mainz on Saturday in what will be just his second competitive start for his country.

He is likely to line up on the right, but interchange with Aiden McGeady as Duff and the Celtic player did in last month's friendly draw in Norway.

Trapattoni admits Duff will be a miss as he recovers from a knee injury, but is confident that he has cover within his squad and that Hunt will do a job for him against the Georgians.

The Italian said: "He is a young player with 100% enthusiasm.

"He helps all his colleagues on the pitch. He understands that he can track back or play in front.

"For us, that is important. There are other players like Duff, but we have enough offensive players like McGeady, (Robbie) Keane, (Kevin) Doyle and also Duff who can score a goal."

Hunt linked up with the Irish squad on Tuesday having seen his hopes of a move back to the Premier League scuppered as the transfer window closed.

The winger admitted his disappointment at the collapse of a transfer late on Monday night, although Reading insist they received no offer from Everton for him.

However, Trapattoni insists he must put that all behind him and like the rest of his team-mates, focus only on the start of a 10-match campaign which will determine their participation in South Africa in 2010.

The manager said: "We have to forget what happens in the private situation.

"Now we can only think about our situation, the national situation. We can only think about our qualification, about the team and the games with Ireland.

"We must be proud to play with Ireland. We played enough good games against Serbia, Colombia and Norway and we have enough quality - our quality - to look to qualify for South Africa."

Trapattoni worked in detail with his players on set-pieces at Malahide on Thursday morning before the squad flew to Germany.

Full-back Kevin Kilbane trained wearing a protective mask over his fractured cheekbone and will make his 49th consecutive competitive start.

Trapattoni has been hugely impressed by the Wigan man's attitude after he underwent surgery to repair damage suffered at Hull on Saturday the following day.

The game at the weekend is being played at a neutral venue because of the political situation in Georgia, and that is likely to prove an added motivation for Hector Cuper's side, who were hopeful of still staging the game in Tbilisi despite the Football Association of Ireland's concerns.

Around 5,000 Irish fans are expected to be in the stadium - which holds 20,000, but only 10,000 seated - with the Georgians having around half as many tickets.

However, Trapattoni believes national pride is important for both teams.

He said: "That is normal. I don't know why we can't have the same situation.

"I have already said we must be proud to play with the national team - my national team."

The Georgia game is followed next Wednesday by another tricky trip to Montenegro with Ireland knowing positive results in both will give them a good start to their campaign.

Trapattoni said: "In football, I play normally for two results - draw and win.

"It is important we get positive results, it's very important.

"These are our first two games and it is important that when the team comes back to Ireland, we haven't lost."