Rep of Ireland v Serbia: IN HIS BOOK on coaching, published 10 years ago, Giovanni Trapattoni makes much of the need for a coach to be "compassionate in his relationship with players".
So, as Fabio Capello was laying down the law to English players yesterday regarding the obligations that go with international call-ups, his old rival was jovially welcoming back Robbie Keane from a week-long siesta.
Keane as good as confirmed he had indeed been away on his stag but insisted that as long as he has the permission of the Tottenham and Ireland managements what he does in his own time will remain his own business.
As far as gambling resorts in the north American desert are concerned, however, the upbeat Dubliner was at pains to point out that, "the last time I laid eyes on a slot machine was in Bray".
If their first public encounter was anything to judge by then Trapattoni and his captain look set to be quite a double act over the coming years. And the striker seems happy too with the basis on which he will resume relations with Marco Tardelli, who sold him to Leeds after becoming coach at Inter
"At least I know Marco," he said, "he can't get rid of me from the Irish team".
Trapattoni chuckled appreciatively before chipping in: "It's different now, he's at home, he's not a foreigner here!"
Keane, of course, will start this evening and with Richard Dunne also now available, Trapattoni has named a fairly decent starting line-up for this evening's game. After a fine season with Stoke and a strong showing in Portugal, Glenn Whelan will make his first senior international appearance, as will QPR's Damien Delaney.
John O'Shea, Aiden McGeady and Darren O'Dea were ruled out of consideration because of their clubs' successes this week. McGeady has also picked up an injury and is a doubt for the Colombia game next Thursday.
The FAI said that some 63,000 tickets had been sold for the game by lunchtime yesterday and while block bookings make the actual attendance hard to predict, the numbers suggest the Irish coach will get a warm welcome on his first appearance in a dugout here since Milan drew at Athlone back in 1975.
"That is an important example for us," said Trapattoni, who was a member of Milan's coaching staff for the Uefa Cup game. "Athlone was a little team, AC Milan was a famous team, but we drew. We can learn from Athlone."
In his early training sessions, the Italian has been keen to pass on the vast experience he has amassed in the years before and since to members of this Irish squad and there is an acceptance that when the real business of the qualification campaign gets going in the autumn relations might not always be quite as warm as they are now within the camp.
"The first moment as a coach or a player is like when you are just married," said the 69-year-old with a grin. "It is always happy. After one month or six months (shrugs) . . . ah, that's life. It's like a family. But I am lucky. I was in Portugal and the Portuguese were happy with me; I was in Germany and there are some Germans in our (Algarve) hotel playing golf and they are happy; also in Austria and Florence and Turin and Milan, they were happy.
"We will see what happens a few months down the line," he concluded, "but for now everyone seems to be happy."
Like Trapattoni, Serb coach Miroslav Djukic will select from a squad stripped of many of its more established stars. Nemanja Vidic in included but, like O'Shea, he only joined the squad from Manchester last night and is expected to be saved for next week's friendlies against Russia and Germany.
Similarly, Inter defender Dejan Stankovic is unlikely to play any part in this first game of three for the visitors, but Valencia striker Nikola Zigic, who scored seven goals in the failed European Championship qualifying campaign, is among those who should start.
After a disappointing showing at the World Cup finals in 2006 when they lost all three of their group games, the Serbs finished third in a tough Euro 2008 group behind Poland and Portugal, with points dropped against Armenia and Kazakhstan costing them dearly in the end.
Their under-21s, however, had quite a 2007, reaching the final of the European Championship in the Netherlands, where they were beaten 4-1 by the hosts in the title decider. Six of that side, including highly-rated 19-year-old defender Slobodan Rajkovic, on loan from Chelsea to PSV, are expected to start this evening's game.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Kiely (West Brom), Kelly (Birmingham City), Dunne (Manchester City), McShane (Sunderland), Delaney (QPR), Duff (Newcastle United), Miller (Sunderland), Whelan (Stoke City), Hunt (Reading), Keane (Tottenham), Doyle (Reading).
