Trapattoni runs out of pot luck

THE cameras inside the Palace of Arts caught a rueful smile from Giovanni Trapattoni as Ireland’s European Championship destiny was unveiled in Kiev yesterday.

Privately, he must have almost winced as the last two winners of the World Cup came out of the pot to join Ireland in a supremely testing Group C, which is completed by yet another side ranked in the world’s top 10, Croatia.

But even the challenge posed by all-conquering Spain along with his native Italy, failed to dampen the manager’s mood when he faced the press afterwards. The pragmatist in him knew he’d been dealt a wicked card but the believer in him refused to downgrade Ireland’s ambitions next summer.