If Ireland are to regroup and successfully renew their World Cup campaign after Friday’s humiliation, Marco Tardelli might be the man to get the players to put it behind them.

It is usual in football for a crushing defeat to be followed by recrimination and the search for scapegoats.

We got the full monty here in Montecatini this week, from earth tremors to a minor eruption by Mt Trap.

Even Socrates regretted not getting to close the deal with the most beautiful woman in the world. But as he said, it can happen, and he could always say he at least got to dance with her

SHAY GIVEN will reconsider his international future when Ireland’s European Championships campaign comes to an end, despite signing a five-year deal with Aston Villa.

John O’Shea has hailed Shay Given’s stubborn resistance as the bedrock of the Republic of Ireland’s Euro 2012 victory in Macedonia.

ITALY’S 1982 World Cup-winning coach, Enzo Bearzot, died in Milan yesterday.

THE biggest surprise about Eamon Dunphy’s hatchet job on Ireland’s performance against Italy last week was that anyone was surprised.

FORMER Italy coach Dino Zoff last night hit out at Azzurri boss Marcelo Lippi for his negative reaction to fans in Parma following the Azzurri’s narrow victory over Cyprus on Wednesday night.

Former Italy coach Dino Zoff has criticised national team boss Marcelo Lippi for his negative reaction to fans in Parma following the Azzurri’s narrow victory over Cyprus last night.

ITALY’S goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is famous for not giving anything away to opponents but Czech model Alena Seredova still laughs about their first date, when he invited her out to dinner but then confessed that he’d left his wallet at home.

THEY’LL talk the talk with Bill O’Herlihy on Saturday night, but John Giles and Eamon Dunphy walked the walk for Ireland the last time Italy played for points in Dublin.

GIOVANNI TRAPATTONI has hailed the quality and staying power of Shay Given, and suggested that Ireland’s No 1 can go on to emulate Italian legend Dino Zoff.

Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni is backing Shay Given to emulate the feats of legendary compatriot Dino Zoff.

Liam Brady believes the Republic of Ireland players will relish working for the man he calls the ’Italian Bill Shankly’.

YOU can say what you like about Giovanni Trapattoni — but you can’t argue with his record as a club manager.

Sometimes you have to wonder what footballers understand by the word ’loyalty’.

SHAY GIVEN is very much alive and kicking — and Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder predicts the Republic of Ireland goalkeeper can play until he is 40.

Oliver Kahn claims there could be no better moment to retire from international football than after going through “the hardest period” of his career.

LA LIGA champions Barcelona crashed to a 2-1 defeat away to Atletico Madrid last night.

MARCELLO Lippi was appointed the new coach of Italy yesterday. He replaces Giovanni Trapattoni who failed to win a contract extension following the Azzurri’s disappointing first-round exit at Euro 2004.

Marcello Lippi was appointed the new coach of Italy today.

FIFA has announced the result of their ultimate Dream Team poll, which was voted for by on-line fans.

The Claudio Lopez of two years’ past struck terror into Europe’s meanest defences, but a lucrative move to Serie A sent his career into a downwards spiral which has only lately shown signs of being arrested.

Lazio have left passport-scandal-ridden Juan Sebastian Veron in Rome for their final game of the Italian season tomorrow.

Chilean striker Marcelo Salas will be sidelined for two months after suffering a knee injury during a training session with his Italian club Lazio.