Trapattoni runs out of pot luck
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.
“We know all the teams in all the groups are very difficult,” he said. “England, Germany, Spain, all these teams are at the top of the rankings table. But we cannot think about the names of these famous teams. We have to think about our attitude and mentality, our performance. Only with this thinking can we progress. Every game lasts 90 minutes and all is possible in football during 90 minutes.”
On the face of it, however, a game in Gdansk against Spain on June 14 has a look of something close to mission impossible about it — not, however, that Trap sees it that way, of course. “Yes, they are creative and famous, they are at the top of their game in international football and also the league in Spain is very strong,” he said, “but we have played against strong teams like Argentina and Brazil and I am convinced we can play against any team in the world. I believe our players think so too.”
Trapattoni had said in the build-up to the draw that he didn’t want to come up against his native Italy again, having encountered them as Ireland manager in the qualifiers for the last World Cup. But, with reality biting last night in Kiev, he was trying to accentuate the positive on that one too.
“I said it would be better not to play them for psychological reasons but I also know them and their players better than most,” he pointed out. “We can play against them. We can think about the win over Italy (in Liege in May) and also our performance in Bari. Every 90 minutes is different and it’s important that we have no injuries and a complete squad. Italy is the last game and I hope to come to the last game with some results.”
For his part, Italian manager Cesare Prandelli, who played under Trapattoni at Juventus, had no qualms about admitting that Ireland was a team he really wanted to avoid — and for a very specific reason.
“I have no problem playing against the likes of Spain or Germany or Holland,” he said. “My problem is Ireland because of Trap. Please, please, I said before the draw, I don’t want to play against him. I don’t want to play against the maestro. He is my teacher. Almost everything I’ve learned in football, I learned from him. I like to speak with him, to learn from him and to eat with him — but not to play against him. For this reason, I really did not want to be drawn against Ireland.”
Spain’s manager Vincente del Bosque, meanwhile, was reminded of the last time his country had played Ireland — that marathon encounter at the 2002 World Cup finals in Suwon in South Korea.
Said del Bosque: “I remember in 2002 we were winning 1-0 and in the last minute Niall Quinn won a penalty from which Ireland equalised and we could have lost the game in extra-time before winning on penalties. They will be a difficult rival. It’s a tough group, I can’t say it’s easier or more difficult than I was hoping for or wanted. You can’t say there’s an easy group. We can’t be arrogant. It’s four tough teams in this group.”
Asked if he thought Ireland could spring a shock, he replied: “Of course, they will be well prepared and you can’t say they are an inferior rival because that is not the case.”
With Spain and Italy comprising games two and three, Ireland will be looking to hit the ground running in their opening fixture in Poznan .
“It’s against Croatia and the first game is always dangerous because psychologically all teams go out thinking it’s important not to lose,” said Trapattoni. “We hope to start the game with the right mentality.”
As it happens, the last time Ireland played in Poznan, back in 1991, they didn’t lose but having been ahead 3-1 against Poland, two goals conceded late on contributed to Jack Charlton’s men eventually losing out to England in the qualification race for Euro 92.
An altogether happier memory will attend Ireland’s final group game, against Italy, in Gdansk on June 18 — to the very day, the 18th anniversary of that celebrated occasion in Giants Stadium, New York, when one Ray Houghton put the ball in the Italian net.
Doubtless Trapattoni didn’t much care for that result at the time — but how delighted he would be if that famous scoreline could be repeated next summer.
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