Final chance for Trap to make a point

Giovanni Trapattoni under pressure, Roy Keane calling for the whole team to be dropped and Ireland, should they lose by three or more goals to Italy tonight, facing the indignity of becoming, officially, the worst performing team ever in the history of the European Championship finals — as dead rubber matches go for the Boys In Green, there’s more than a fair bit at stake at the Municipal Stadium in Poznan this evening.

For Italy, of course, it’s a win or bust affair, which means that, for the third game in succession, the Irish will face a side with every incentive to give it all they’ve got.

So, if Ireland are to finish their grim campaign with a restorative result, they will have to do so knowing that it won’t be with the help of any easing of foot on pedal on the part of the opposition.

Italy’s difficulty means Trapattoni has been denied an opportunity to experiment in what is, in a strictly competitive sense, an otherwise meaningless game for Ireland.

Not that the manager has ever been so inclined anyway, even in friendly matches, but had he uncharacteristically abandoned the habits of a lifetime and made even half of the 11 changes called for by Mr Keane, he would have stood accused by Croatia, Spain and European football in general, of going out of his way to do a big favour for the old country. And, on top of everything else, the last thing the elder Italian statesman needs at this stage of his career is to be dragged into a calcio conspiracy scandal.

Still, Trapattoni could have tweaked things just a little — Shane Long, Stephen Kelly and James McClean or Stephen Hunt might all have started without materially weakening the line-up — but, no, he has opted instead to revert to type and field the same 11 which began Ireland’s finals campaign against Croatia.

Clearly, Trapattoni believes this is his strongest side, but he also expects that their strengths will be rather more apparent from the off tonight.

“After two defeats in two matches in which we conceded early goals, it is now important and necessary to go back to the same attitude, mentality and commitment we had in the qualifying matches,’’ he said. “It’s important we start with 100% concentration and avoid this situation happening again in the first minutes.

“Against Italy we play for our honour and the honour of the nation, which has supported us all the way. We all have a duty to do the best we can. Obviously we don’t want to go home with another defeat. And I will play the same team as brought us qualification out of respect for my players. We’ve got to ask for respect for our players, for our country and for the people who applauded us even when we went 4-0 down to Spain. Italy can show how good they are but we need to show our own game.”

Much of the questioning from the Italian media yesterday focused on concerns that the Spain-Croatia game in Gdansk could end up like the suspicious Denmark-Sweden 2-2 draw in Euro 2004 and have the same effect of putting out the Italians — even if they beat Ireland tonight.

Trapattoni, who was in charge of Italy at that tournament and rarely misses an opportunity to bitterly recall that neighbourly Scandinavian result, rejected the idea that history might repeat itself.

“Because things like this have happened before, the authorities will keep a much closer eye on what’s going on,” he said. “It’s very unlikely it will occur again. I don’t think it will happen.”

Equally, Trap was utterly dismissive of the idea that Ireland, under his stewardship, might be minded to do his native country a favour.

“We Italians are supposed to be the masters of making these agreements,” he said. “But every thing is the same in every country. It has happened all over the place, not just in Italy, and great scars have been left by this. I have to simply ask for the highest commitment possible from my players. We are not going to undermine all our credibility and all our honour with a game like this against Italy.”

Robbie Keane also stressed the not so small matter of pride, as the Irish team look to put their hiding at the hands of Spain behind them.

“They were the best team I have played against, I have never seen anything like them,” said the striker.

“When you are playing you just want to give it all you can, 100%. It’s different for you guys watching, we are running around and trying to do the best that we can. But sometimes in life you just have to hold your hands up and that was one of those situations. We were playing against the best team I have ever seen.

“It was a great achievement to get here but we wanted to do the country proud. The last two games have not been the case but we can hopefully give the fans something to shout about against Italy. It’s a massive game for us because, as a group of players, we don’t want to go home without getting any points.

“One thing about this group of players is their pride and we are desperate to get a result for ourselves and for the supporters who have been absolutely unbelievable.”