Hand: Domenech would not have got Ireland to play-offs

EOIN HAND claimed last night that Ireland would not be preparing for a World Cup play-off this week if Raymond Domenech and not Giovanni Trapattoni was manager of the boys in green.

“There’s much more respect for Trap as a coach and manager than, seemingly, there is with Domenech from his fellas,” said the former Irish manager. “If you reversed the roles and you had Domenech in charge here, I don’t think we’d be near the situation of the play-off.

“Trapattoni’s not phased by the big time Charlies or anything like that, he wouldn’t be. That’s one of Trapattoni’s strengths, saying ‘what I want on the pitch, I’m going to get the best out of’.