Trap wants final fling in Brazil

POLAND and Ukraine might be the destinations uppermost in everyone’s mind — and success or failure in getting Ireland to the Euro finals will surely decide his future as national team manager — but Giovanni Trapattoni has admitted that he already has one eye on a trip to Brazil in three years’ time.

In September 2009 the manager agreed a two-year contract extension with the FAI but now says he would be happy, if asked, to extend it to 2014.

“Obviously I should be proud to continue because the next World Cup is in Brazil,” he said, adding with a smile, “Brazil is Pelé.”

But Trapattoni is also keen to manage at another World Cup because he believes he has unfinished business with football’s most prestigious competition.

“I was Italian manager in Korea,” he remembered.

“It was not France (hand of Gaul), but similar — if you want, I will show you the DVD. But that is the World Cup. Between media, money and other issues, there are too many interests in the tournament.

“After the game against France in Paris, colleagues said to me, ‘Giovanni, you know football’. Sure, I think I have achieved some good things in club football but I am also sure that I am in credit with UEFA and FIFA. I’m due something back in international football.”

And there’s another reason too why Trapattoni would welcome the opportunity to continue as Ireland manager past 2012 — he believes in the potential of the Ireland squad.

“If the FAI is happy and believes in our project, sure, why not (extend his contract)? Otherwise I must start again if I go to another team. One year ago, we began to change this team and I have seen the players grow. I believe in this project and I believe there are even greater possibilities.

“So if they want me to stay, I am available. If not, I can look elsewhere — I have had opportunities to do so before. But I am very enthusiastic when I see what this team can do in training and on the pitch.”

Trapattoni was especially pleased with the performances of a number of players in the 2-3 defeat to Uruguay on Tuesday, especially man of the match Shane Long, Keiren Westwood and Aiden McGeady. He is also anxious to put a metaphorical arm around James McCarthy, who failed to live up to his star billing.

“He’s a young player, he’s 20 and it was a difficult game for him. I didn’t expect anything more or less from him. I wouldn’t want to see him blamed, because he has no faults, he’s just trying to find his feet in the team.”

And the manager would have no qualms about playing the Wigan man in the Carling Nations Cup against Scotland in May, even though the Glaswegian is bound to field a lot of flak from the visitors.

“It would be good for him to play because he must get over these things. It was like on Saturday, after 20 minutes I could have changed his position and played him in central midfield. But I wanted to see him there (in the number 10 role) so he could understand better the position. He was a little bit lost but it was a good test for him.”

For all he talks up the options now available to him, Trapattoni will revert to a 4-4-2 and the bulk of the usual faces for the away trip to Macedonia on June 4. Either side of that critical competitive match, he plans to give as much game time to the fringe players against Northern Ireland and Scotland in Dublin in May and later on in the two games in America. Clearly then, Trapattoni places much value in friendly matches, which puts him at odds with Alex Ferguson, who recently described them as a “waste of time”.

“The club manager’s aim is always the protection of his team,” he said. “The manager of the national team has another aim, to build a team for the country.”

While he understands these are conflicting concerns, he feels it is important national associations exercise their full rights with regard to player availability.

“The Italian Federation can force the clubs to release their players if they are called up to the national squad even if there is an injury concern,” he pointed out.

“I have said many times to (UEFA president) Michel Platini that we need these rules, especially in Ireland where we have fewer players to choose from.

“Now, senior players don’t come only when they are injured — before there were situations where they chose not to come. This mentality is important, this respect for you, for Irish football, for us, for the team and for the FAI.”