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As always, it's The Examiner with the interesting quotes:
http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/s...ck-211224.html
Before he flew back from the Faroes, Trapattoni had indicated that he fully intended to continue in football in the event of his getting boot in Ireland.
"Sure, with another team in another country," he declared. When asked if there were offers he was aware of out there, he replied with a cryptic smile: "In another week, I can say to you."
A lot can happen in a week in football, it’s true — or even in one day, as yesterday’s events confirmed — and given Ireland’s next competitive games are not until March, there is still plenty of scope for further twists and turns in Trapattoni’s reign as Ireland manager over the coming weeks and months.
What was clear before last night’s FAI meeting was that Trapattoni was bemused by the very idea that there could even have been the possibility of a move against him at this early stage in a new qualifying campaign. He even suggested to journalists before leaving the Faroes that being shown the door after the European Championships might have made more sense than getting his marching orders now when, a mere three games into the new campaign, Ireland remain in qualifying contention for World Cup 2014. And, dipping into his own decorated past to find an exception to the rule, he was implicitly critical of footballing officialdom in general.
"I was in four countries at important clubs," he said. "I know every president and every chief executive. I know. I met only one very important president because he knew football very well (former Juventus striker and later club president Giampiero Boniperti). He was the best striker many years ago. He wouldn’t make judgments depending on whether you win or lose. He would take a decision and stick to his decision.
"But the president is the president. He has responsibility. He decides what happens or doesn’t happen. Sometime (he thinks) it’s better to change the manager because there is a problem with the team. It’s easier to change the manager rather than 10 players. In my life, this has never been the case. I am the one who decided to go and change clubs."
Nor had he any intention of resigning — or being provoked into a resignation.
"Maybe they think I go but I said in Tuesday’s press conference that no, I will not go, because we’re starting a new job. We started a new campaign and we lost against Germany, not against Kazakhstan or the Faroes. Sweden found it difficult to play there."
Appearing upbeat and unruffled after Tuesday night’s win, Trapattoni seemed to be able to ride serenely above the media firestorm — but then, it’s a phenomenon with which he has become only too well acquainted in his many years in top flight football.
"These are rumours," he said. "And the rumours in Italy are bad and even worse because the newspapers compete against each other. I’m used to this. If it was the players against me, then I would be upset, or if my behaviour with them was not professional. It’s not only diplomacy when you ask the players: ‘What do you think about Trapattoni?’ It’s not that they answer out of diplomacy. When you are a manager, you have this sensibility, a feeling of whether the answer (from the players) is no or yes."
He was not "particularly anxious or upset", he added. "Absolutely not. I continue to do my job with the same attitude and the same attention. The players are growing. I will keep doing my job and I think it’s honourable that I have this quality."
Some of Eoin Hand's criticism, also from The Examiner:
http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/s...wn-211220.html
In football management things can change pretty rapidly but it will be interesting to see what the reaction of the public will be for the friendly for Greece. Maybe it’s a wake-up call for Trapattoni and he’ll start doing the job with full commitment."
Hand was Irish boss between 1980 and 1985, when the role was still part-time, and maintains Trapattoni’s refusal to see his players in club action while he remains in Milan is inexcusable.
"Going to actually see the players is an essential that Trapattoni has never carried out. As soon as you get the job, that’s what you do. I was part-time when I was manager, but I was still going across to England at every available opportunity to check players out.
"That’s how you get the respect of players and get the most out of them because they know you have been watching them.
"We all know his CV is great, there are no problems over that. But what I’m concerned about is the obvious one, his commitment towards the cause. The only time he comes to Ireland is to do press conferences.
"He doesn’t have a presence in this country but never mind that, he doesn’t have a presence in the country where all our players are playing. I find that amazing. I would like to think that perhaps in discussions with the FAI now that came across."
Yet Hand is sceptical over whether John Delaney and the rest of the board of management did lay down those ideas to Trapattoni, adding that financial circumstances may have stopped the association from giving him the sack.
"Then again, maybe they haven’t, maybe they have made this decision strictly from a financial point of view and they can’t afford to get rid of him.
"I think it should be made clear to the manager that now he has to fight against public impressions of him and that he has to commit himself more."
In addition, he is critical of Trapattoni’s ignorance of domestic affairs and says last Saturday’s decision to host a post-match press conference at the same time as Sligo Rovers were winning the League of Ireland title sums the Italian’s attitude up.
"He has been very insulting to the domestic game, culminating in him scheduling a press conference last Saturday at the same time as the most important game of the domestic season.
"He doesn’t see the big picture about having a successful international team.
"It’s nice to have results go for you, but it should be all about fostering the game here, not in England or anywhere else. The bottom line is he has lost sight of that aspect, he should be improving the game here."
My own view: criticism of his work ethic, selection, tactcis, communication etc. is all valid. Howeever, I can't blame Trap if his FAI-set job description is to manager the senior team only. The timing of the press conference was bad, but aws this Trap or FAI's fault?
Originally Posted by paul_oshea
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