Bring on Capello’s England, says Trap

GIOVANNI Trapattoni says that he has repeatedly spoken to his fellow countryman Fabio Capello about the prospect of Ireland playing England in a friendly – but the Ireland manager, tongue only ever so slightly in cheek, reckons his opposite number is running scared.

Speaking in London yesterday following the previous night’s 2-0 loss to Brazil, Trapattoni revealed that he has raised the subject of a match between the two countries a number of times with Capello who, it has emerged, paid a social visit to his fellow countryman at the Irish team hotel on Monday night.

“I spoke with him, I look for him,” Trapattoni explained, “because we wish to play this game. England have many other agreements but I spoke two or three times about it. (He said) ‘Yeah, yeah, okay we will look at that’.