Royal flush drives Trapp to despair

STEVE COPPELL is not the only manager sporting a furrowed brow at Reading’s plunge towards the Championship.

Relegation would cause consternation in Berkshire but, from his office in Abbotstown, Giovanni Trappatoni will also be fretting over whether the Royals can pull off an increasingly unlikely escape act.

The new Republic of Ireland manager will surely see Stephen Hunt, Kevin Doyle and Shane Long as key members of his squad for the 2010 World Cup qualifying matches later this year, but all three could be playing in the second tier next season.