Trap says 'absolutely no' to imminent exit

Tomorrow evening's game against the Faroe Islands could  be Giovanni Trapattoni's final as Ireland manager, after he appears to have lost the support of the FAI since Friday night's embarrassing Germany defeat.

Despite insisting in the game's immediate aftermath and again in his press conference on Saturday afternoon that he sees no reason to throw in the towel, Stephen Kelly's widely-reported dispute with Trap's assistant Marco Tardelli prior to boarding the plane on Sunday indicates that Friday's game was the final straw.

Yet in his pre-game press conference this evening, Trapattoni claimed there was no argument and remained defiant, saying tomorrow’s tie in Torshavn will ‘absolutely not’ be his final as Irish boss even if the FAI lose faith in him.

Bookmaker Paddy Power has already suspended their market on him departing the job before the end of 2012 after a torrent of bets saw him cut from 2/1 to 11/10 before the market was then closed.

The key to whether Trap will or won’t go will centre on whether Denis O’Brien, who bankrolls his wages as part of a deal with the FAI, wants to see the Italian shown the door. With the FAI in dire financial state, they are unlikely to be in a position to pay a severance package and Trapattoni’s defiance suggests he looks certain not to walk of his own accord.

Amongst the entire furore surrounding the 73-year-old, it’s easy to forget that Ireland do have a tough task at hand tomorrow.

Trap, who refused to consult with former Faroes and Ireland boss Brian Kerr in the run-up to the game, has decided to revert back to 442 against a Faroes side that gave Sweden plenty to worry about on Friday, with skipper Robbie Keane fit enough to start alongside Jonathan Walters.

Keane was eager to stress his support for the manager today, saying that these things always happen in football.

Former St Patrick’s Athletic star Keith Fahey perhaps harshly loses out considering he was substituted before the Germany game became a disgrace on Irish football, along with Simon Cox and Stephen Ward, though Darren O’Dea keeps his place and Shane Long remains on the substitutes’ bench.

Marc Wilson will come in for Ward at left-back, with Manchester United’s Robbie Brady, who supplied the assist for Andy Keogh’s consolation against Germany, making his first competitive start for the country on the right flank.

Ireland (v Faroe Islands): Westwood; Coleman, O’Shea, O’Dea, Wilson; Brady, Andrews, McCarthy, McGeady; Keane, Walters.