Trapattoni Touting Toon around Town

In what promises to be a great game for atmosphere (you can’t say the Pole’s lack numbers!), Ireland coach Giovanni Trapattoni was looking forward to the opportunity to try out some new players in Croke Park tomorrow night when he spoke to reporters in Malahide before Tuesdays training session.

“It is a great test for young players to show their personality” said the man, alluding to the “six” changes he plans to make for the second half tomorrow night. Andy Keogh and Caleb Folan both get starts in an otherwise unsurprising starting eleven, but Steven Hunt, Keith Andrews, Anthony Stokes, Shane Long, Dean Delaney and Noel Hunt all enjoyed high praise from the Italian.

Trapattoni feels Poland are a dangerous proposition, and a very good test for his still-learning Ireland side. When asked what the main idea for this game was, Trapattoni responded with: “The complete performance. We must be a solid team. Against Poland we must play compact because Poland plays very well. Their right side is very fast.”

However attention quickly turned to the managers views on tomorrow’s captain, Shay Given. “He commands the defenders well, which is very good. A goalkeeper must trust his defenders.”

Asked whether it was true that he had recommended the Newcastle player to teams in Italy, Trapattoni admitted as much: “I have spoken with 2/3 of the big managers, friends of mine. When they ask about players, I say ‘Yes’, [Given] can play for you.”

“In Italy they spend a lot on players, but very little on goalkeepers. For me though, goalkeepers are as important as strikers. Shay is like Buffon, it is not nice to make comparisons but in personality and quality, it’s the same,” continued Trap, through the vessel of his absolutely and painfully beautiful translator.

Back to the game, and many wondered why Andy Keogh was given the nod ahead of Stephen Hunt for this fixture. “I don’t know Keogh. I already know Hunt. [Keogh] is very clever. Tomorrow Duff and Keogh are very important for us. Their work behind is very important,” responded the very menial Italian.

Trapattoni, and indeed Given, then commented on Caleb Folan’s talents in the team. Trap went on and on about the need to hold up the ball, “to permit the team to come forward”, and no man better in this squad, apparently, than the Hull player. Given added that Folan’s ability in set pieces is a particular ability, and one the side will no doubt hope to exploit.

“He is not only big. He understands the midfield. He doesn’t go, like Noel [Hunt], into the space behind, he helps the midfield a lot. He takes the ball for one…two seconds, permitting the team to move up. It is not goals, he is important for his presence,” said Trapattoni.

Given also spoke of his delight at being made captain again, in the absence of Robbie Keane. “Just wearing the armband, having the players walk out behind you is something special,” he said. When asked if in recent games, the team had been distracted by talk of players who refused to play (Stephen –I’m hairy…I’m bald- Ireland), Given said ‘no’, adding that representing your country is something you proudly “look back on at the end of your career”.

Oh and a Sky lad inevitably asked Shay about Newcastle and Joe Kinnear as manager. Given didn’t say Kinnear was good. What he said was he has done a good job “in that it’s a difficult situation.” Make of that what you will.

Tomorrows starting eleven: Given, McShane, O’Shea, Dunne, Kilbane, Keogh, Gibson, Whelan, Duff, Folan, Doyle.