There is no good way to lose but the manner of some defeats make them even worse than others.

Irish football is closer to Giovanni Trapattoni’s vision of how the game should be played than the Italian realises

AFTER their day of rest, the Irish squad were certainly put through their paces at training in Gdynia yesterday, a 90 minute morning session ensuring that everyone got quickly back up to speed.

Perhaps it was coincidence, perhaps not, but Giovanni Trapattoni last night responded to Aiden McGeady’s suggestion Ireland’s players are jaded by giving his men a day off.

It’s the middle of the day and there’s a man sitting in the bar of a hotel by Croke Park showing me a video nasty on his laptop. “Look at this,” he says with a grimace, “it’s a horror story.”

From the hills of Tuscany to the banks of the Danube doesn’t take terribly long by road and air but from Montecatini to Budapest is still quite a cultural and geographical leap.

Shay Given last night declared himself fully fit and ready to go in Budapest tonight as Ireland wrap up their pre-tournament friendlies with a game in which a clean bill of health would trump a clean sheet.

There was a time when you could all but see the steam rising out of Robbie Keane’s ears at pre-match press conferences.

The Ferenc Puskas Stadium in Budapest has long been due for demolition but with its marble halls still echoing to the legendary achievements of yesteryear, it’s a place of fading grandeur which still has the power to evoke fantasy football.

Giovanni Trapattoni is in no danger of under-estimating Ireland’s Euro 2012 opponents.

Simon Cox is desperate for a chance to stake his claim for a Euro 2012 berth against Hungary on Monday evening.

Giovanni Trapattoni has warned his Republic of Ireland players not to be taken in by the turmoil surrounding Group C rivals Italy.

Richard Dunne is hoping the luck of the Irish can help give Giovanni Trapattoni's team an edge over their Euro 2012 rivals.

Marco Tardelli has made it clear that he wants his native Italy to play Ireland as scheduled in Euro 2012.

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

As the Irish squad prepare to leave Tuscany for Hungary, Sean St Ledger reflects on an eventful week in camp

I noticed this week that a front cover of Sport — the free London magazine — has been nominated for UK magazine cover of the year.

World Cup winner Marco Tardelli is not expecting the Republic of Ireland’s Group C rivals Italy to make a sensational withdrawal from Euro 2012.

It’s getting really close now, the hairs are starting to stand up on the back of my neck

Giovanni Trapattoni has asked Marc Wilson to replace Kevin Foley on Ireland’s Euro 2012 standby list.

Other than straight after games, Damien Duff doesn’t really do press but he’s such a much-loved character in the Republic of Ireland ranks that even the most demanding hacks are generally happy to cut him some slack.

Giovanni Trapattoni came out fighting today as the fall-out from Kevin Foley's exit from the Republic of Ireland squad continued.

Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni was handed a double boost today when Shay Given and John O’Shea both trained.

Kevin Foley is back home with his family in England, having left Ireland’s Euro 2012 training camp in Italy.

Henry Kissinger! Pele! Douglas Fairbanks Jnr! Robert De Niro! Ray Charles! Marcello Lippi! King Leopold Of Belgium!

Giovanni Trapattoni has revealed Paul McShane was handed Kevin Foley’s ticket to Euro 2012 amid fears of a crisis in central defence.

The Republic of Ireland last night cruised to a 5-0 victory against a semi-pro Tuscan selection in a low-key warm-up in Pistoia, a town about 15km from the squad’s training camp in Montecatini.

IT was just after 9am when the phone rang in my hotel room in Montecatini.

Tuscan Select XI 0 Republic of Ireland 5

Kevin Foley’s Euro 2012 hopes were today dealt a devastating blow when Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni decided not to take a risk on his fitness.

The Republic of Ireland team have said their thoughts are with the people of northern Italy after at least 10 people died in an earthquake near their Euro 2012 training base.

The sweat was still dripping off Paul Green long after Irish training finished beneath the Tuscan sun yesterday but rarely can a man have seemed so happy about working hard in the summertime when he thought the living would be easy.

Saipan seemed both very close and very far away yesterday.

Montecatini last night literally rolled out the green carpet, as Giovanni Trapattoni, Marco Tardelli and the Ireland squad were formally welcomed to this beautiful Tuscan spa town, the reception committee including the Lord Mayor Giuseppi Bellandi and the reigning Miss Italy Stefania Bivone.

Giovanni Trapattoni played the diplomat as he and his Republic of Ireland players were honoured at a civic reception in Montecatini this evening.

Giovanni Trapattoni tonight spoke of his humiliation at the latest match-fixing scandal to engulf Italian football.

There is mounting concern that if John O’Shea is not fit enough to play in next Monday’s friendly against Hungary in Budapest, the defender will miss Euro 2012.

Paul McShane was planning a trip to Dundrum Shopping Centre when The Call came through.

Giovanni Trapattoni set off on the Republic of Ireland’s Euro 2012 adventure today insisting their success will rest not on his glorious past but his ability to adapt to the present.

Robbie Keane has told his Republic of Ireland team-mates to relax as they prepare to launch themselves into Euro 2012 battle.

Giovanni Trapattoni has warned key men Shay Given and John O’Shea they will have to prove their fitness ahead of Euro 2012.

Marco Tardelli has insisted all 23 of the Republic of Ireland’s Euro 2012 squad will be fit for the friendly against Hungary on June 4 and, more importantly of course, the tournament itself.

The Republic of Ireland’s training camp in Montecatini will go ahead as scheduled despite the earthquake in Northern Italy which killed at least six people, injured several others and caused significant damage.

Republic of Ireland skipper Robbie Keane is expected to join up with his team-mates tomorrow ahead of Euro 2012 after an injury scare.