Devotees of the traditional championship structure probably woke today with a thumping headache.

The FAI have decided against rushing into the appointment of a successor to Giovanni Trapattoni, meaning Martin O’Neill can no longer be regarded as the certain replacement many had previously believed him to be.

We chroniclers of the round ball game can surely be forgiven just a touch of schadenfreude as we watch our oval ball counterparts a-swingin’ their picks and a-hollerin’ those ol’ managerial succession blues.

We are all part of the same hypocrisy, said Michael Corleone in The Godfather (Part Two).

ARSENE WENGER is monitoring the progress of Paris Saint-Germain’s Mamadou Sakho as he looks for a solution to Arsenal’s defensive problems.

GIOVANNI TRAPATTONI’s age and health was not a concern when the FAI approached him to be Ireland manager, according to Ray Houghton.

FORMER Arsenal keeper Bob Wilson has called on football authorities to act in the wake of Aaron Ramsey’s horrific injury against Stoke on Saturday.

IT’S ALMOST a year to the day since Don Givens completed his work as chairman of the three-man committee tasked by the FAI to find a new international manager.

ROY KEANE was accentuating the p-word deep in the bowels of the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

Don Givens is confident new Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni will stiffen the resolve of a now all-too-brittle side.

Ray Houghton has likened the enthusiasm of new Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni to that of Alex Ferguson.

IT took 113 days for the FAI to announce Steve Staunton’s successor but, as it turned out, the three wise men needed only half an hour to come to the conclusion that Giovanni Trapattoni was the man they were looking for.

Don Givens insisted there had been no pressure or influence exerted by FAI chiefs in the search undertaken by himself, Don Howe and Ray Houghton for a Republic of Ireland soccer boss.

Former Italian coach Giovanni Trappatoni has been confirmed as the new Republic of Ireland soccer boss after a protracted recruitment process handled by Don Givens, Ray Houghton and Don Howe.

Giovanni Trapattoni will take up the reins of Republic of Ireland manager in 11 weeks’ time courtesy of the backing of a billionaire benefactor who has helped to turn “a pipe-dream” into reality.

The hunt for the new Republic of Ireland manager is reaching its “concluding phase” – with Giovanni Trapattoni set to be confirmed in the job tomorrow.

The Football Association of Ireland have called a board meeting for Wednesday afternoon when they are expected to confirm Giovanni Trapattoni as the new manager of the national team.

It appears increasingly likely this morning that Italian football manager Giovanni Trapattoni is in line to be offered the vacant Republic of Ireland post.

The protracted process of finding a new manager for the Republic of Ireland international team is set to drag on further.

Former Republic of Ireland manager Steve Staunton believes Italian Giovanni Trapattoni would provide quite a contrast if appointed as his successor.

It is an issue that has been uppermost in the minds of the nations soccer fans for the past 3 months and it seems there is an end in sight to the FAI process of recruiting a new international manager.

The committee appointed to find a new Ireland manager is due to give a progress report to the FAI board of management today.

David O'Leary has declined an opportunity to be interviewed for the vacant Republic of Ireland manager's job.

The Republic of Ireland will start their 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign with a tough double-header later this year.

IS THERE anything worse than this?

Football Association of Ireland chief executive John Delaney has welcomed Ray Houghton as the third member of the three-man committee tasked with selecting Steve Staunton’s successor.

The FAI has appointed Ray Houghton to the panel set up to select the new Republic of Ireland manager.

Terry Venables says he has yet to hear from the FAI about the possibility of taking over as Republic of Ireland manager.

AS WAS widely expected, the FAI have confirmed that Don Givens and Don Howe have been appointed to recruit the next Ireland manager.

Two former colleagues of Terry Venables will conduct the search for the new Republic of Ireland manager, the Football Association of Ireland have announced.

Arsene Wenger created more history tonight when he became the first manager to receive the League Managers Association’s Manager of the Year award for the second time.

England’s stunning victory over Denmark today booked a potential quarter-final clash against four-time champions Brazil in Shizuoka next Friday.