We’re on number 29 and today we take you back to our current manager Giovanni Trapattoni’s appointment.
Okay, so we’ve already clarified that we’re not too fond of recalling Stan’s time as ‘Gaffer,’ but it’s equally easy to forget that our current manager is one of the most successful in the entire history of the game.
Yes that’s right…the ENTIRE history of football.
Trap is considered the most successful coach in the history of Serie A, is one of only three coaches to win league titles in four different European countries, the only coach to win the European Cup, UEFA Cup and Cup Winner’s Cup and has coach of Juventus, Milan, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich, Benfica and Italy on his CV.
Oh and as a player he marked Pele out of a game.
Funny that some people think they know more than him about football as they balance a beer can on their bellies and shout abuse at their tellies, sometimes.
Anyway, the point is that after the ignominy of drawing 1-1 against lowly Cyprus at Croke Park in Stan’s last game in charge, the arrival of El Trap from Red Bull Salzburg was a big deal.
After many players had endorsed Terry Venables as Ireland’s next coach, three men selection committee of Ray Houghton, Don Givens and Don Howe (a friend of Venables) dropped the bombshell that they had got their man, Trapattoni.
With the FAI bequeathed with a donation from businessman Denis O’Brien to hire “Il Trap”, a new era for Irish football had begun.
It also helped his acceptance by Irish fans that Trap was considered a more successful manager than England’s recent managerial appointment Fabio Capello.
Here are the RTE panel waxing lyrical about the appointment.
Today marks 29 days to go until the start of Euro 2012, so stick with us every day as we present another memorable Irish soccer moment.
