“GIVEN the time of the year that’s in it, I suppose you’ll be wanting an oul’ look back on the decade, boss,” I said to the Commander-In-Chief, as I plumped up the pillows behind his back and spoon-fed him his favourite tipple of brandy and Complan.

IT would have been interesting to see the reception afforded to Marcello Lippi in Bari on Wednesday night had Italy failed to return from Montenegro with all three points in tow.

OVER 150 journalists and photographers milled into the RDS Concert Hall yesterday for Giovanni Trapattoni’s first meet-and-greet but interest in the veteran manager’s latest job has been much more sedate in his native Italy.