Trap was worth every penny, says bankroller O’Brien

Businessman Denis O’Brien said his contribution to Irish soccer boss Giovanni Trapattoni’s salary was “probably one of my better investments” even after the team lost all three games at Euro 2012.

“He was worth every penny,” O’Brien said yesterday. O’Brien (right) agreed to provide “generous support” to help pay for Trapattoni’s two-year contract extension, the FAI have confirmed. Trapattoni’s annual salary is around €1.5m, with O’Brien contributing half. O’Brien also part-financed Trapattoni’s salary when he was first hired in 2008. O’Brien told Bloomberg yesterday it’s up to the FAI who the manager should be, not him.