Trap set to return for Euro openers
But yesterday it was all about a health report on Giovanni Trapattoni, with assistant manager Marco Tardelli and FAI chief executive John Delaney adamant that the veteran Italian will have recovered from minor stomach surgery in time to resume his duties for the European Championship qualifier in Armenia on September 3.
However, the FAI AGM in Wexford seems to be coming too soon for Trapattoni who was due to name his squad there next Friday.
“I wouldn’t expect him to be there,” said Delaney. “(He needs to) just rest, take his time and get himself ready for Armenia.”
The FAI boss said that he thought Trapattoni would remain in hospital for another week.
“But it’s just recuperation,” he went on. “He is 71 years of age but he is fine. If you talk to the doctor Alan Byrne, the medical people, himself… he is grand. He’s been through a minor surgery but he’ll be fine. There is no doubt about it. He will be with us for Armenia and Andorra. It’s still three weeks away. To be honest, it’s better to happen now than if we were going to Armenia immediately. That would have been a blow.”
Delaney also said that Trapattoni himself had made clear his both his desire and intention to make the long journey to Yerevan.
“He’d have been here last night,” Delaney quipped. “He was still battling on Tuesday afternoon to be at the game.”
Skipper Robbie Keane said that he was not in the least surprised to hear that Trapattoni was expected to bounce back so fast.
“I think we’ve seen that since he’s been here,” said Ireland’s latest centurion. “He still does the training with us, he’s a fit man. I’m looking forward to seeing him in a few weeks’ time.”
However, in what is clearly regarded by all concerned as the unlikely event of Trapattoni being unavailable, Tardelli would take over the reins again.
“Marco filled in as assistant manager against Argentina,” said John Delaney. “He has got a big pedigree in terms of management. He managed the Italian U21s to the European championship, he managed Inter Milan. Marco, in his own right, can manage the team but there’s no doubt that Giovanni will be back for Armenia.”
Those were sentiments echoed with evident relief, it must be said, by Tardelli himself as, when asked if he would be happy to continue as manager, he flatly replied: “No. I want Giovanni to come back. And, in five days, Giovanni will be good.”
Tardelli revealed that he’d visited Trapattoni yesterday morning and the two men had reviewed the game against Argentina.
He also had words of advice for Shay Given, who had indicated that he would seek a showdown with manager Roberto Mancini if he isn’t selected for Manchester City’s opening Premiership game against Spurs tomorrow. But Tardelli urged caution.
“We’ve spoken to him,” he said. “Better to stay calm. If he doesn’t play at the weekend, I think he will play next week. Better to stay calm because Mancini knows football.”
Looking ahead to the opening games of the European Championship qualifiers Tardelli said that there could be no grounds for complacency, not even after Armenia’s 3-1 home loss to Iran in a friendly on Wednesday.
“We want to take six points but football is now not like many years ago when there were weak teams. Now all teams play very well. All teams have motivation to win.”
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