Trap: Job is only 50% done

GIOVANNI TRAPATTONI wasn’t exactly jumping for joy when he entered the post-match press conference room last night, doubtless conscious that his interrogators would once more be drawing unflattering distinctions between the show and the result.

And also because, as he acknowledged, there is another job of work to be done next month.

But for the Ireland manager, the quiet satisfaction had been in watching his team, however haltingly, come out on top against a side for which he has developed considerable admiration.

“I think Armenia is one of the best teams in the group and for us it’s a very great result,” he said. “In the first half Armenia played very well and it was very difficult to control them. But as I said yesterday, in this game we could see our maturity and how the team has improved. They showed a good reaction and a good attitude.

“But only 50% of the job is done because now we have the play-off.”

Trapattoni was not prepared to accept that Ireland had once more reaped the benefits of a lucky break or three.

“I repeat, Armenia played well but I don’t remember a very difficult situation for Shay Given. I don’t remember him making too many saves. Yes, we were lucky in Russia, I have admitted that, but even though Armenia played better football than us, I don’t remember us being in trouble.

“But I repeat, even with 10 men Armenia played well. I knew they would. They played well against Macedonia, Russia and Slovakia. I saw these games.”

Asked — before the seedings and opposition had been clarified — if Ireland would need to play better in the play-offs, Trapattoni replied: “Yes, but all opponents are not the same. Maybe our next opponent is not a team as good as Armenia.”

Trapattoni conceded that the loss of Kevin Doyle for the first leg of the play-offs is a blow but he clearly hasn’t given up hope on Robbie Keane making the cut against the odds.

“Now I hope Keane comes back but we also have [Shane] Long, [Simon] Cox and [Jonathan] Walters. We have more options now than two years ago. Maybe we are not a team of many great creative players but we are a team of good attitude and balance. [Damien] Duff is fantastic, of course, but our strength is that we are a team. I am happy with the attitude and mentality we have used to approach every game. And again tonight, because it was not easy.”

Trapattoni said his team understands that it carries a heavy national burden.

“After Ireland lost against Wales in the rugby, I said football can boost the people’s morale.

“The players know this, they have a big weight on their shoulders. They have the big responsibility of keeping the nation’s hopes up.”

As for tomorrow’s draw, Trapattoni was not about to be enticed into stating any kind of preference beyond the obvious one: “I think it’s better to have the first away and the second at home,” he said.

Meanwhile, on a night when another nation’s dreams were cruelly dashed, Armenian manager Vardan Minasyan was graciousness itself in defeat. If very brief.

“I am going to keep this very short,” he said.

And he did. “Congratulations to the Irish team. I wish you luck in the play-off. You are a very good team.

“But I am very proud of my team and we have done a very good job. We can be very proud.”