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Giovanni Trapattoni: Ireland’s most popular man - barely speaks English, is not even Irish

He’s Italian, a grandfather and he has won Irish hearts for ever

CATHAL DERVAN,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Tuesday, December 27, 2011, 7:17 AM

Updated Tuesday, January 3, 2012, 1:23 PM

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Giovanni Trapattoni

Photo by dailymail.com

“I have never in my life used an agent,” he admitted. “Maybe that is a pity because you can earn more with an agent and I have had many, many opportunities.”

The two year extension to his current deal with the FAI will take Trapattoni up to 2014 and all the way to Brazil if he can negotiate a path around Germany, Sweden, Austria, the Faroes and Kazakhstan in the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers.

By then, his football journey will surely be coming to an end. “I am 30 years in this profession and there is always the result, you sleep for one night on the result then immediately you have to achieve the new situation,” he said. “For us the next situation is the European Championships and I believe we can achieve something at this tournament.

“That is my job now and my job keeps me young. The expectation will be big but we can do well.” If they do, they will put a much needed smile back on Irish faces.

The day before Ireland guaranteed qualification for the European finals, with a 1-1 draw at home to Estonia, Trapattoni received a surprise visitor to the team’s base at the Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links.

Former manager Mick McCarthy, in town to work as an analyst for Sky television, wanted to say hello to one of his successors. He also wanted to say well done.

They shared a coffee in the lounge of the North Dublin hotel and they shared their experiences as manager of a country which demands, never mind expects, its football team to punch above its weight.

Before he left, Mick McCarthy made a small presentation to Giovanni Trapattoni. The bottle of champagne was to mark Ireland’s first qualification for the Euro finals since Big Mick helped beat England in 1988, their first qualification for any finals since McCarthy led Ireland to Japan and Korea in 2002.

Trapattoni appreciated the gesture. He can only hope that the waters leading up to Euro 2012 are calmer for Team Ireland than they were en route to those stormy World Cup finals.

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irishfrank | Dec 29, 2011, 11:27 AM EST

trapottoni trapottoni is from italy BUT IS IRISH NOW, ......

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JohnJoe4444 | Dec 27, 2011, 12:25 PM EST

Cathal has outdid himself this time. After a career of tugging his forelock to the FAI he expects people to swallow this nonsense. At best Trapattoni deserves grudging respect for deliver a series of results that brought a team to the Euro finals. The man shows no charisma either on or off the pitch. The football played by his teams has been dire and torture to watch. Qualification was based on Richard Dunne's incredible match against Russia and a result in the first leg in Estonia that stank to high heaven. If Ireland was in the Estonian shoes that night we would still be shouting about the injustice. Jack Charlton was hugely popular in Ireland but Trapattoni?

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PhlutiePhan | Dec 27, 2011, 11:08 AM EST

Trap deserves his accolades. However, the honeymoon may be short if he can't find someone to put the leather into the back of the net. Robbie the Keane carries the team on his back for sure. He is the greatest playmaker in the world. However, they need someone with a lightning foot desperately. McGeady looks like he could be the one. Nevertheless, to be outshot 18-2 with corners at 12-1 by Russia in another nil-nil tie sends a note of caution to the celebration of a 1-1 match with a minnow like Estonia. Somewhere, somehow, some way, they have to replay the French for national pride.

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BrendanDunphy | Dec 27, 2011, 10:02 AM EST

We are "Gaelic" and he is "Garlic" ... it's all good ...

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stephendoyle | Dec 27, 2011, 09:49 AM EST

69 percent of the world's population cannot speak english and 93 percent are not Irish.He is in a large majority there. I don't care if he is green and from Mars asl long as he get the Irish team to the finals... GO IRISH!!!!!!!!!!

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