Soccer:Marco Tardelli tends to keep his pitchside briefings reasonably low key for the most part. He gently swerves awkward questions, politely directing his interrogator to the boss, and usually avoids saying anything out of the ordinary.

The Republic of Ireland assistant manager usually plays out these brief cameos with same friendly monotone mumble, meaning it’s easy, on the rare occasion he deviates from routine, to miss the part where he says ‘we’re in the European Championships to win the European Championships'.

The Italian World Cup winner was responding to a question on the difference between approaching a major tournament as a player and a manager.

“Like player, like coach,” he replied, “but I think this tournament, this trophy, is strange because everything is possible. I think the team are fit and have a good chance of winning the trophy.”

Oh, really? Now you’re talking.

“When we started with Ireland the boss gave his players the right mentality,” he continued. “Now they show us they have this mentality, because during the season I saw many of their matches, and they have the right mentality.

The key to progress in Poland campaign, he said, is a good start against Group C opponents Croatia before the games against world and European champions Spain and Italy.

“It’s always important to begin well, but it is important in the first game for morale and also for the points,” he adds, reverting to type. “But we know our group is very tough.”

Prior to all that, the more realistic prediction from the Italian came with the confirmation that he and Giovanni Trapattoni remain confident Keith Fahey (groin) and Kevin Foley (hamstring) will be fit to travel to Italy with the rest of the squad on Sunday week.