The Trap question leaves Lippi riled

YOU can usually tell what gets an Italian manager riled. For Giovanni Trapattoni it seems to be the Andy Reid question. For Marcello Lippi on Sunday it was more the Giovanni Trapattoni question.

It was the 13th time that the two men had faced each other in a competitive match, and there was a definite edge to the post-match repartee.

“He has silk, I only have cotton,” said Trap.

“Maybe he’s forgotten that he too had a chance to work with silk – and for four years,” responded Lippi.

That was an uncomfortable reminder of failure, because Trap’s experience at the helm for Italy was not a happy one. In the 2002 World Cup Italy went out to South Korea, and found a convenient scapegoat in Byron Moreno, the referee from Ecuador, whose performance can best be described as “eccentric”.

Moreno was subsequently suspended for apparently fixing a league match back home, which seemed to bear out Trap’s accusations that Italy were robbed – but his team’s performances against Croatia and Mexico had already suggested they were not real contenders.

Two years later in Portugal, Trap’s team flopped again. Again there were allegations that Italy had suffered from a fix – this time a contrived draw between Denmark and Sweden – but again it was apparent that the quality just wasn’t there.

Lippi replaced Trap – and went on to win the World Cup. Trap returned to exile and perhaps for the first time in his life must have felt he had something to prove to his fellow countrymen.

That chance came at Croke Park, and whether or not you think it was cotton v silk, it was certainly a case of “never mind the quality, feel the width”.

Just as in the Champions League, an Italian side looked distinctly uncomfortable playing against wingers. Aiden McGeady caused Gianluca Zambrotta a lot of problems, and Liam Lawrence was named Man of the Match by the Gazzetta dello Sport, which is not bad going for someone in his first competitive international and who has played most of his football for Mansfield Town.

Trapattoni’s Ireland have surprised quite a few people around Europe.

Bulgaria were definite favourites to finish runners-up when the draw was made, and finished up being utterly eclipsed.

Ireland’s stickability and endeavour were expected, what was unexpected was the capacity of journeymen midfielders to adapt and learn. Under pressure in certain games maybe Ireland have shown a tendency to revert to kick and rush, but they’ve also learned not to give the ball away – at least not as cheaply as in the past – and how to retain their shape when the opposition are in possession.

It also turned out to be a more tricky group than anticipated. Montenegro aren’t as strong as their former team-mates from Serbia (who thrashed Romania 5-0 at the weekend to finish top of their group) but they have good players from top clubs.

Cyprus thumping Bulgaria may have been a shock, but Cypriot teams have demonstrated over the past couple of years that they are far from a pushover. In the Champions League last season, Anorthosis held Internazionale and Werder Bremen and beat both the top Greek clubs. This season APOEL have a draw against Athletico Madrid to their credit, and also gave Chelsea a difficult time.

So for all that the odds are stacked in favour of the big boys, this World Cup has seen smaller nations punching above their weight – Ireland among them. Those vital lapses of concentration apart.

Certainly the Italians have been impressed.

“Ireland have arrived in the play-offs with serenity,” wrote Luca Calamai in the Gazzetta dello Sport yesterday. “On paper, they don’t have an unbeatable opponent to face.”