WORLD CUP QUALIFYING GROUP C:

Lars Olsen has admitted it would be a sensation of epic proportions if the Faroe Islands ruined Robbie Keane’s party tomorrow night.

Marco Tardelli has ordered the Republic of Ireland’s players to forget about the euphoria of their performances against England and Georgia as they prepare to return to World Cup battle.

Giovanni Trapattoni will attempt to plot a route to the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil when his Republic of Ireland squad meets up later this month.

The Republic of Ireland will face Georgia in a friendly in Dublin as they prepare for their World Cup qualifier against the Faroe Islands in June.

With Giovanni Trapattoni having previously been warned by the FAI that he needed to put a stop to his media outbursts about Ireland players, apparent evidence of fresh tension between the association and the manager has surfaced in the wake of Stephen Kelly’s stinging response to the Italian’s claim that the player had issued a ‘play me or I go’ ultimatum.

An angry Giovanni Trapattoni has, for the first time, given credence to the story Stephen Kelly was at loggerheads with the Irish management before the team flew out of Dublin to play the Faroe Islands last October.

Robbie Brady has admitted he took the agonising decision to leave Manchester United to protect his fledgling international career.

Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni has told defender Richard Dunne to save himself for next month’s World Cup qualifiers as he fights his way back from injury.

IT’S hard to know which is the more rash, to make predictions or resolutions at this time of year, but invariably we all end up indulging in some crystal-ball gazing about the 12 months ahead. Just what has 2013 in store?

Republic of Ireland striker Simon Cox has warned Germany not to expect a repeat of their World Cup demolition job when the sides meet again next year.

Marco Tardelli will reflect upon a "fantastic year" as the Republic of Ireland bring their 2012 campaign to a close against Greece on Wednesday evening.

It’s often said that a week is a long time in football, and I can honestly say the last week or so has been as hectic as any I’ve experienced as a player.

Brian Kerr was treated like a home-coming hero on our trip to the Faroe Islands this week, the former manager of the country’s national team an instantly recognisable and transparently popular figure with the locals from the moment our plane touched down at the homely little international airport which, set amidst a wild and stunningly beautiful landscape, makes the visitor feel like he’s landed in the heart of Connemara.

FAI chief executive John Delaney had earlier met with Giovanni Trapattoni yesterday before conducting this interview in his office in Abbotstown.

The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) chief executive John Delaney has held a "constructive" meeting with Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni today.

It was all up with Giovanni Trapattoni after the Germany fiasco, according to his Italian compatriots.

Giovanni Trapattoni is expected to make prompt use of his FAI reprieve by attending a Premier League game this weekend, with Carrow Road — where Norwich host Arsenal in a late kick-off tomorrow — a likely destination.

Giovanni Trapattoni is to remain as Republic of Ireland manager after being told he has the continued backing of his employers.

Embattled football manager Giovanni Trapattoni last night survived an FAI grilling to hold onto his €1.5m-a-year post with the Republic of Ireland.

In a jailbreak to rival the acquisition of those three World Cup points in Kazakhstan, Giovanni Trapattoni was last night reaffirmed as manager of the Republic of Ireland by the FAI, ending days of feverish speculation about his position.

Albanian referee Lorenc Jemini has confirmed Jon Walters, inset, scored Ireland’s second goal in Torshavn — despite claims by Robbie Keane that he got that decisive touch.

When the FAI’s 10-man board of management gathered yesterday afternoon to weigh up the risk analysis of dispensing with international manager Giovanni Trapattoni, the rap sheet made for persuasive reading.

An influential factor in Giovanni Trapattoni’s reprieve as Irish manager was that, in the aftermath of the 1-4 win in the Faroes, senior Irish players continued to support the manager, with Keith Andrews saying his loss would represent a huge blow.

Skipper Robbie Keane is confident the Republic of Ireland remain firmly in the hunt for World Cup qualification after bouncing back from their mauling by Germany.

Faroe Islands 1 Republic of Ireland 4

If it was game over for Giovanni Trapattoni in more ways than one in Torshavn last night, he was putting a brave and even defiant face on it when he came in to meet the media after the 4-1 win.

The consensus might be that last night’s result only papered over the cracks and the manager may still be shown the door, but captain Robbie Keane insisted Giovanni Trapattoni will still be in the dugout come Ireland’s next game at home to Greece next month.

Faroe Islands 1-4 Republic of Ireland

Robbie Keane has called for a united front in Torshavn tonight as Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni hangs grimly onto his job.

Tiny, placid Torshavn provides an almost surreally inappropriate backdrop for such a landmark sports story — the last stand of one of the biggest names in world football taking place in the smallest capital on earth.

Faroe Islands boss Lars Olsen tip-toed diplomatically around the subject of Giovanni Trapattoni’s end-game when he fielded a series of questions on the subject ahead of tonight’s World Cup qualifier in Torshavn.

A defiant Giovanni Trapattoni has insisted tonight’s World Cup qualifier in the Faroe Islands will not be his last game as Ireland manager, as the FAI maintained an official silence on reports that a decision has been made to replace the 73-year-old Italian.

Giovanni Trapattoni tonight insisted he is going nowhere amid speculation that his reign as Republic of Ireland manager could be over by weekend.

Faroe Island boss Lars Olsen has warned his players to expect a Republic of Ireland backlash as manager Giovanni Trapattoni fights to save his job.

Robbie Keane could return to lead the fight to save Giovanni Trapattoni’s job as the Republic of Ireland attempt to bounce back from their mauling by Germany.

If Ireland beat the Faroe Islands tomorrow night — and nobody is now considering that a foregone conclusion — then Giovanni Trapattoni will continue in his role as manager for the time being but, barring an unlikely turnaround in team fortunes, it is impossible to imagine the 73-year-old seeing out the World Cup campaign.

The Republic of Ireland squad landed in the Faroe Islands yesterday, with Robbie Keane on board but without his fellow striker Andy Keogh.

John O’Shea reckons it could have been even worse in the Aviva last Friday night — and he’s not just talking about the scoreline against Germany.

Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni has said it is "no good being angry" with his players after Friday night’s 6-1 drubbing by Germany.

Embattled Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni was handed a timely boost today when skipper Robbie Keane was declared fit to travel to the Faroe Islands for Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier.

Giovanni Trapattoni insists he will only leave his job as Republic of Ireland manager when there are no positives left and the players fail to respond to his orders.

The only way Republic of Ireland defender Darren O’Dea could describe last night’s record home defeat to Germany was by calling it an embarrassment.

Republic of Ireland 1 Germany 6