Could Cassano be an omen?

He played no part in the national team’s qualification campaign, but the gifted young attacker was included when Giovanni Trapattoni named his squad for the European Championship finals.

We’re not talking about James McClean here. Instead, Antonio Cassano’s rapid rise eight years ago, and the impact he made for Italy at Euro-2004, stands in sharp contrast to McClean’s marginal role in Poland this week.

Just like McClean today, Cassano had two friendly caps to his credit when Trap called him up for the 2004 finals. The Roma striker was nearing his 22nd birthday back then. McClean now is a year older.

At the finals in Portugal, luck and skill combined to make Cassano a key figure in Italy’s unsuccessful campaign to progress from Group C. Before the tournament began, Trap compared Francesco Totti to his wife to emphasise the Roma attacker’s importance to Italy’s hopes. “I wouldn’t change him for anyone in the world,” the manager enthused.

But the happy couple were separated after Totti was banned for spitting at an opponent in Italy’s opening match. Enter Cassano. He started against Sweden and scored Italy’s goal in a 1-1 draw in Porto.

Back in Guimares four days later he was on target again with a late winner to beat Bulgaria, but Italy crashed out of the competition on goal difference.

Trapattoni did not hesitate to plunge Cassano into a high-pressure environment eight years ago. The young man repaid his manager’s faith in style. This week, Trapattoni is unwilling to take a chance on McClean.

But Trapattoni is no stranger to controversial calls. At the 2002 World Cup finals he left striker Marco Delvecchio on the bench when a third substitution was called for against South Korea. Christian Vieri’s exhaustion was evident when he missed a sitter in the 89th minute of the 8th-finals match, which dragged on into extra time.

Asked later about his decision, Trap offered. “I wanted to keep Vieri on for the penalty shoot-out,” he said. South Korea’s golden goal winner scuppered that plan, however.