No ideal scenario for happy Trapattoni

“GOOD news! We are all here together!”

Giovanni Trapattoni’s cheerful greeting for the Irish press corps upon arrival at his Kiev hotel yesterday summed up the manager’s buoyant mood going into today’s European Championship finals draw at the Ukrainian capital’s Palace of Arts.

After 24 years of looking on from afar as Europe’s elite have contested the continent’s biggest football prize, Ireland are finally back in the mix as one of the 16 nations who will discover later today precisely what the summer has in store for them.

Once again, Trapattoni insisted yesterday that he has no wish list for today’s proceedings, though it only took a little probing to discover that, all things being equal, he would prefer to avoid tournament favourites Spain and Germany in the group stage. And, ideally, he would like to avoid England too, on the grounds that the players on both sides know each other only too well.

And then, pushed just a little further, he also revealed misgivings about facing either of the co-hosts, Poland and Ukraine, partly because he feels that a team with home advantage in a big tournament can be inspired to raise their game but also because he is still scarred by the memories of the refereeing decisions which went against his Italy team when they exited the 2002 World Cup at the hands of co-hosts South Korea.

“I’ve had my fingers burned before,” said Trapattoni with a grin.

But the truth, as the veteran knows better than most, is that there is really no such thing as a soft draw at this heady stage of European competition, only varying degrees of difficulty.

“There can be no ideal scenario because, remember, we are fourth seeds,” he pointed out. “But I have no problem about us playing against the big teams. We are not just ‘little Ireland’. Other teams have their weapons but we have ours. And over three games of 90 minutes, with our strength and mentality, there is no reason for us to have any fear.”

One thing which Trapattoni and Irish fans alike would love to see come out of today’s draw — for reasons of ease of access and convenience of internal travel — is Ireland landing in either Group A or C, both of which will unfold on Polish soil. Indeed, when he arrived in Kiev yesterday, FAI chief executive John Delaney confirmed that it is Ireland’s intention to base themselves in Poland even if they do end up in Ukrainian Groups B or D.

“The manager is certainly very strong that he wants to stay in Poland, regardless of where we’re drawn,” said the FAI boss. “The €40,000 allowance that UEFA give for each flight is very helpful towards that and other countries too are looking to stay in Poland regardless of whether they’re drawn in the Ukraine. We have a couple of options which we have prepared. We’re a priority in one and in other cases we’re probably second or third in line but certainly we’ve identified one place in Poland that we would like to stay.”

Asked what he was hoping for from today’s draw, the FAI boss said: “I don’t think we’re too bothered, though I’d like to avoid England because I’d like to have the friendly in Dublin sooner rather than later.

“We would be looking at May [if February is unavailable] and it would be great to have England in Dublin before we go to the finals but if we get them in the draw then that’s out.”

It also emerged yesterday that Ireland’s friendly in February — as long as it’s not against England — is likely to be away from home, though no final decision will be made until after today’s draw.

Delaney also revealed that Trapattoni is planning to visit Poland as early as next week to look at training centres and select the best one available as Ireland’s base camp for the tournament.

But, shortly before the finals kick off, he also plans to take his players away on a training camp in either Portugal — if the side are drawn to play in Poland — or Austria or Germany — if Ireland end up in one of the Ukraine-based groups.