Ambitious Ukrainian club try to take Trap off our hands

Ever heard of the Ukrainian club Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk? Us neither, but apparently they’ve been trying to get their greedy mitts on Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni.

We shouldn’t be getting too worried for now, however – or at least advocates of the current manager shouldn’t – as the FAI have issued a firm hands off to the rich Ukrainian club and are fully intent on keeping Trap at the helm until at least the end of the 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign.

A report in The Star this morning suggests that Dnipro, backed by the very vast pockets of millionaire owner Igor Kolomoyski, are eager to appoint a big name as they attempt to muscle in on the dominance of the big boys in Ukrainian football, Shakhtar Donetsk and Dynamo Kiev.

Kolomoyski is believed to be willing to tempt Trapattoni with a whopping €5 million a year salary, but despite the promise of such vast riches the FAI are confident of holding onto their man, with an association source telling the paper: “Giovanni Trapattoni is committed to remain as Ireland manager for the 2014 World Cup and that has not changed.”

He might have his detractors in this country because of his ultra-conservative style, but having already masterminded Ireland’s path to the Euros, Trap is keen to bring Ireland to Brazil in 2014 and make up for his only previous experience of the World Cup in 2002, when his native Italy were knocked out by co-hosts South Korea in extremely dubious circumstances.

Trap will be a sprightly 75 years young at that stage, but judging by his training ground activity and often wild gesticulations on the sideline, he looks to have a few years in him yet. For now though, he's concentrating on the Euros and said last week that we might even win the bloody thing.

Yes, you read that right.