Soccer:With qualification of Euro 2012 all but assured following Friday night's 4-0 win over Estonia in Tallinn, Giovanni Trapattoni already has one eye on the Republic of Ireland's qualifying campaign for the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil.
On Tuesday night, a team moulded very much in the 72-year-old Italian’s image will attempt to confirm its participation in next summer’s finals in Poland and the Ukraine.
His continued presence at the helm appears to be tied tightly to the battle for qualification, and a with successful completion of that mission estimated to be worth around €8 million to the FAI, he could hardly have stated his case much more eloquently.
Talks are yet to take place, but if it has anything to do with Trapattoni, a relationship which has been part-funded by businessman Denis O’Brien for the last three and a half years will move into a new phase.
He said: “Surely, I would be disappointed or upset if I had to leave because I am sure we can do better and we can repeat our performance in qualification towards the World Cup in Brazil because now we have a strong, young team.
“When we change these senior players, I am sure we have options behind them which are very, very strong.”
Trapattoni has, of course, led something of a nomadic existence in a career which has brought him league titles in four different countries, and he has never been averse to a new challenge. However, he is confident he has established a firm foundation with Ireland and is keen to build upon it.
He said: “One of my friends, many years ago when I was a very, very young manager, said to me, ‘Why do you want to go? Remember, the more woods you visit, the more wolves you find’.
“Our team is a good team. We play good football — maybe we do not have super-creative players, but we have very, very good players, modern players, quick players and a balance between defenders and attackers.
“That is the modern thing. After that, there is maybe Messi or Ronaldo or others, but our team without these great names is a very strong team.”
Trapattoni has, understandably, been questioned about his future repeatedly in recent months, and last week said he would look to stay in the game even if a new offer from the FAI did not materialise.
Asked if he faced a straight choice between Ireland and retirement, he replied, indulging the Italian superstition of touching iron rather than wood, said: “No, no. I would continue life. In Italy, we say the older wine gets, the better it tastes — if you are still clear in your mind, and thank God, I think I am still clear in my mind.”
FAI chief executive John Delaney was photographed embracing his manager after the game in Tallinn, but asked what he had said to him, Trapattoni replied simply: “Congratulations.”
In the meantime, Trapattoni will concentrate simply on the task of cementing the nation’s return to the European stage for the first time since 1988 confident that his masterplan is coming to fruition.
He said: “Now our team has a good identity. We can change players, but our identity doesn’t change, our attitude doesn’t change, nothing changes. We are conscious of our strength now.”
