Trapattoni insists Paris can be conquered
NEVER have those ‘Hope’ t-shirts which recast Giovanni Trapattoni as Barack Obama seemed more appropriate.
Asked yesterday if Ireland can still qualify for the World Cup finals the manager answered, in so many words: "Yes, we can."
Whether or not his comments for consumption in public and, more to the point, in the dressing room, accurately reflect his private thoughts, the veteran Italian did a convincing job in Malahide yesterday of accentuating the positive as Ireland prepare for the massive challenge of trying to turn their World Cup play-off around in Stade de France on Wednesday.
"Yesterday after the game I was a little bit sad because, as I said at the post-match press, we didn’t deserve to lose," he said of Saturday’s defeat by the French in Croke Park.
"Sure, France had quality and more possession of ball but we had the same chances. We played on equal terms with them in the first half.
"I am confident because, yes, the team was a little bit sad, but I know my team. They have character. They are proud. We must consider the positive situation.
"We had a good reaction after France scored. We, too, had opportunities to score. We lost only these 10 minutes after the goal. In my opinion, a draw would have been a more fair result.
"I am also confident because in our qualification we scored away in four games. That is what I said to the team this morning. We have in Paris the same opportunity to do what we have done before.
"Football makes us suffer but there is another big opportunity in Paris because also France conceded goals at home. Like us, they finished in second place and we think our group was a strong group. We have to think of the positive situation and not the result on Saturday."
Trapattoni indicated that, depending on how the players recover from the weekend’s exertions, he would consider making changes to the starting line-up in Paris.
"I must think about this," he said. "Some players lose energy. We have two days. I must think about experience and balance. We have only 90 minutes of hope to go to South Africa. On Wednesday, we will need new energy. The changes could be crucial."
However, it seems that, judging by the manager’s remarks yesterday, we are unlikely to see a substantially different approach from the Irish team in Stade de France. Even though they are now chasing the game, Trapattoni, ever the pragmatist, maintains that they will need to exercise due caution.
"We have the quality but man against man France are very dangerous," he said. "We remember the risks in the past. I don’t want to concede five goals, three goals or two goals. 1-0 for us is enough.
"That would be enough for extra time and maybe penalties. This is a game for warm hearts and cool heads. Okay, take risks in the final minutes but if we go forward and concede goals, it’s finished."
Trapattoni accepted that his side had yielded too much of the initiative to France on Saturday night.
"Normally we can put teams in another situation on the pitch," he observed. "On Saturday, we allowed them space which we do not usually concede to other teams.
"It’s an eventuality we have to consider. We cannot allow France to play like that in Paris. We must be more aggressive in this situation without running any risks."
Set-pieces, he still thinks, could be Ireland’s best way back into the tie.
"Forty goals were scored from set-pieces in the last European Championships, 35 in the group stages of the last World Cup," he said. "Set-pieces are more important in international football now. We have the quality to exploit them. We have to check our weapons."
In the light of the slightly freakish circumstances of Nicolas Anelka’s goal, Trapattoni said that he didn’t want to make too much of the role of luck, although, when asked immediately after the game on Saturday night what he hoped to achieve in Paris, he had replied with a smile: "I told the players we have only played the first half.
"Now, we play the second half. And I hope for the same in Paris, maybe another little deflection – but this time for us."
The good news out of an otherwise disappointing night for Ireland was that none of the players picked up either the injuries or yellow cards which would have ruled them out of Wednesday’s second leg in Paris.
Yesterday, the squad had a light warm-down session at Gannon Park before the manager gave them the rest of the day off. Almost half the squad opted to return to Croke Park to watch Ireland and Australia draw in the rugby Test.
Today, the Irish squad will train again in Malahide before flying out from Dublin tomorrow to Paris.
Three ways to win it - How Ireland can upset the odds in Paris
Defend higher: Ireland were being driven deeper and deeper towards their own penalty area in the 20 minutes before Anelka’s goal on Saturday. The back four must push up higher in Paris to give themselves some breathing space and not invite so much pressure. For that to happen, Ireland must retain possession more diligently in midfield.
Set-pieces: The Irish delivery from set-pieces was curiously poor in Dublin, with corners and free-kicks often either over-struck or hitting the first defender. This is supposed to be one of Ireland’s strong points and they cannot afford such lax use of dead-balls in France.
Be bold – within reason: Nobody is suggesting a gung-ho approach at Stade de France, but there has to be an element of adventure in Ireland’s football if they are not to bow out with a whimper. One possible change could see the more attack-minded Aiden McGeady, right, replace Liam Lawrence, although the conservative Giovanni Trapattoni will almost certainly stick with the same line-up.
