It was too late for the chaotic scenes of carnevale which have attended recent managerial appointments by the Football Association of Ireland but yesterday's pleasingly sober announcement of the appointment of Giovanni Trapattoni as the next manager of the Irish soccer team was a timely exercise in confidence rather than hope.
The FAI, who set off 112 days ago trawling for a manager, brought home the big kahuna yesterday. Trapattoni's record in European football is unimpeachable and includes 10 league titles won in Italy, Germany, Portugal and Austria. He is currently the manager of Red Bull Salzburg, with whom he won the Austrian league last season. Trapattoni will remain in that post until May 1st when he takes over the Irish job.
The FAI, a little chuffed perhaps to be punching above their weight on the managerial dating scene, misspelled the new manager's name throughout their official press release but put on their best suits and most businesslike faces and did their best not to jump up and down clapping their hands and looking like excited schoolchildren.
Absent from the coronation was the regent himself. Mr Trapattoni's current employers require his presence and his focus in Austria for another three months but he released a statement expressing pleasure with his appointment and looking forward to facing his native Italy in the qualifying games for the next World Cup.
"Ireland are not a second-rate team," he said and perhaps believed. "They are supposed to be a first-rate team. Qualifying for the World Cup in 2010 will be hard, and playing against the Italian team will make me proud, but it should be possible for Ireland to come first."
Present, of course, at the launch of the shiny new era were those gnarled survivors of previous FAI misadventures.The chief concern of the finger-waggers was the disclosure that telecoms entrepreneur Denis O'Brien has altruistically offered to pay half of the wage of the new Irish manager and his assistant. Trapattoni has signed a two-year deal for a sum thought to be in the region of €2 million per annum.
"Mr O'Brien approached us and offered the money without strings attached," said FAI chief executive John Delaney. "It is a welcome development to see Irish business people putting money back into Irish soccer. The offer was absolutely with no strings attached."
Mr O'Brien had stated earlier in the day that as a fan he merely wanted to see the best person employed by the FAI. "I'm a great believer if you hire the right people you get the right results."
The FAI, fresh converts to Mr O'Brien's creed, held hands and jumped into the future.