The right and the wrong of Trapattoni

RIDDLE me this? The reports of one match speak of a systems failure, of the pain endured and of the nerves of the supporters once more being put through the shredder.

The reports of another match speak of reasons to be cheerful, of hopes for the future and of a hugely entertaining contest.

So which was the victory in a European Championship qualifier and which the defeat in a friendly? Of course, you know the answer, and so does Giovanni Trapattoni — which, when the gist of the papers and the television punditry were made known to him this week, must have caused the veteran to ponder anew the wisdom of the philosopher Rushie who, when asked to sum up his time in Italy, famously declared: “It was like being in a different country.”