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Trapattoni said he was "proud" of the players despite their swift exit from the Euros. INPHO/Donall Farmer

Going nowhere: Trapattoni vows to continue as Irish manager

The veteran manager also praised the Irish fans’ behaviour during yesterday’s match.

AS GIOVANNI TRAPATTONI faces more doubts about his role than ever before, he came out with renewed determination. The Irish manager insisted he is here to stay.

“I have more enthusiasm to stay,” Trapattoni insisted.

“I think we deserve this, because we qualified [for the European Championships] for the first time after 24 years.

“The [Irish fans] also, after the third goal, they applauded. They are our people. They are proud. I told the players this.”

It is, of course, results that have put Ireland out and caused an unusual level of reflection in Trapattoni.

Unlike his immediate post-match press conference, Trapattoni accepted some of the blame… but still couldn’t explain why his players froze.

“When I lose, I don’t sleep. I watched the game again. It is difficult to make the right analysis because, when you start the game and concede, it is very difficult.

“I already said, when we lose, only the manager loses. But I said also, two minutes, one goal, two minutes one goal. That changes everything, from the tactics, to the attitude, to the system.

“I am proud to come to the European Championships with this team, with these players.

“I will look to help the midfield.

“We have this situation, three against two, and it’s very difficult this situation.”

Trapattoni, however, did repeat his reservations over the players’ “psychology” and whether the exact height of the stage saw them freeze.

“This situation, I haven’t seen in two years. We never had this fear.

“I asked today, why do I see them so very well in training, very well when they play together with determination, with commitment? Why did we start these two games with fear? We did not have the same attitude? Maybe it’s the impact of the European Championship.”

As for those who will close out the European Championships, Trapattoni insisted he would not make many changes to his side out of competitive duty.

“If we change now, suppose Italy beat the Irish, do you think Spain or Croatia will be happy? The manager must always put out a strong team.

“If I was to play young players against Italy, there could be a perception of favouring my own country.

“I do have changes in mind, but then I could be accused of this.”

As to whether any of that first XI would retire, Trapattoni said no-one had said so yet.

“At the moment, nobody has come to me. I know our captain [Robbie Keane] is proud to [play for Ireland].”

Read: LIVE: Ukraine v France, Euro 2012>

Read: ‘Keane has lost the plot. He should respect Irish fans’ – Dunphy>

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30 Comments
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    Mute Lucille Ball
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    Jun 15th 2012, 7:48 PM

    I’m glad he’s staying on.. He got us to the Euro12 finals… That was major.. It’s not his fault he hasnt a huge selection of players to work with at the moment.. Hopefully he’ll change that.

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    Mute Paul Lanigan
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    Jun 15th 2012, 7:56 PM

    Are you really telling us that he chose our best players?

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    Mute Joe Hunter
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    Jun 15th 2012, 8:09 PM

    Your off your head! We scraped our way into it and sent running back out of it with our tails between our legs! We were pure dung! I had to turn it off it was that bad!! He has to go along with that string of misery delaney! New blood is needed

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    Mute Pj Kiernan
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    Jun 15th 2012, 8:32 PM

    Why then soes he leave the likes of coleman out.the man needs to jog on

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    Mute Brendan Peters
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    Jun 15th 2012, 7:41 PM

    Is this man deluded- how can he think that this championship was nothin but a disaster- u don’t go to these things to make up numbers- then play embarrassing football-
    He has to go if not we are in trouble

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    Mute Chris Coffey
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    Jun 15th 2012, 9:49 PM

    I know nothing about football but I’m led to believe the guy has a ton of successes under his belt as a manager. I think you may need to stop and go perhaps the guy is doing a stellar job, he just has very little to work with…?

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    Mute Pig Boy
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    Jun 16th 2012, 1:03 AM

    He is as cute as bejaysus ,take the focus off of his tactical shortcomings and blame the players .Going nowhere is right .

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    Mute Rafael Alonso
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    Jun 15th 2012, 7:54 PM

    trap is doing a great job with limited resources

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    Mute Irish Patriot
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    Jun 15th 2012, 8:02 PM

    I hope he leads the Republic of Ireland to the next World cup in Brazil.

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    Mute Joe Hunter
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    Jun 15th 2012, 8:11 PM

    Not a hope after that debacle!

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    Mute Dirt Lancaster
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    Jun 15th 2012, 7:54 PM

    Ya lets get steve Staunton back. Jaysus we don’t have a world beating squad of players, we don’t even have one or two like we used to.

    35
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    Mute mart_n
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    Jun 15th 2012, 8:07 PM

    So why do we need a world class manager like Trap? He’s the second highest paid in Europe.

    I’d like to see him replaced by a younger manager, one who isn’t conservative and stuck in his ways. One that can actually converse with his players without the need to do it through an interpreter. I highly respect Trap as a manager,the man’s a legend.. but he just doesn’t suit our setup, or what we have right now in terms of talent.

    It’s like Steve Ballmer managing a lemonade stand

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    Mute Barry O'Brien
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    Jun 16th 2012, 12:19 AM

    That would be one damn well run lemonade stand! A very profitable lemonade stand. What’s your point again?

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    Mute Julian King
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    Jun 15th 2012, 7:49 PM

    Looks like we’ll be going nowhere too so!

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    Mute Pj Kiernan
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    Jun 15th 2012, 8:35 PM

    He wont last long ,people aint gonna go to the aviva to watch that shite

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    Mute Michael
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    Jun 15th 2012, 8:42 PM

    If we play this style with trap for the next two years end up qualifying and getting beat like we did the past two games, then i don’t want to go, i don’t want the team to qualify.

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    Mute fizi_water
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    Jun 15th 2012, 8:13 PM

    Trap needs to stay, however many of current players not…realistically with current players Murinho together with Alex Ferguson won’t be able to do a lot. Just an opinion.

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    Mute Kevin
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    Jun 15th 2012, 7:55 PM

    I don’t think the blame lies soley with Traps but we need to freshen things up. A change of manager might not be the worst decision in the world. Thing is… some our less experienced players need to be getting a look into the national team now if we are to start building for next world cup. I think that Traps will just continue with the old guard which is not going to help long term. Given for one is simply past his best. We all ove Given but it’s time he stepped aside and let some of the next generation come through. Same goes for Robbie and Duff.

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    Mute Ruairi Mc Caul
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    Jun 15th 2012, 7:58 PM

    Its up to the manager to get us to major tournemenst n its up to the players to perform when he gets us there…. Its no ones fault if we can’t produce the players of the calibre required… So all in all its better to have at least an experienced manager.

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    Mute Jambbie
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    Jun 15th 2012, 8:30 PM

    Why should he care what Spain and Croatia think?? His priority should be his own team. Playing Long and McLean and maybe Gibson is what Trap should be worried about.

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    Mute Barry Clarke
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    Jun 15th 2012, 9:04 PM

    what the fai need to do is: get a sack, put trappatoni in it, and send him back to Italy..we’re better off without him, even if that means we don’t qualify for another ten years

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    Mute Oliver Walker
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    Jun 15th 2012, 10:09 PM

    I don’t care if I get red thumbs or not and I usually try to be fair on this but this team are appalling….did they even make 1 move that excited any of us in either of the games?i don’t even care if they beat Italy now and it hurts me,like everyone else when our country don’t do well…we just don’t have the players able to compete with the other countries…even Sweden earlier were able to score 2 goals against England…

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    Mute Oliver Walker
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    Jun 15th 2012, 11:12 PM

    It’s just so fecking demoralising watching them…not that I’m in any position to talk about professional football players but people spent hard earned money going out to Poland and they end up watching this crap AND get patronised by foreign media while their at…The best fans,who really gives a toss,id rather be in the next stage of Euro 2012,but no,we get the ‘ah sure it’s only little old Ireland,at least they were there’ Pisses me off,the whole team needs changing bar Andrews,Cox and McClean who are the only bright players we have…

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    Mute Sean Slevin
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    Jun 15th 2012, 11:37 PM

    And where do we get the players?

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    Mute Barry O'Brien
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    Jun 16th 2012, 12:22 AM

    The GAA :-P

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    Mute Michael Heneghan
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    Jun 15th 2012, 11:00 PM

    I think we are forgeting how crap we are,how many Irish players played in the Champions League this year?

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    Mute Michael Heneghan
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    Jun 15th 2012, 10:57 PM

    He was un lucky,Shay Given was injured and Richard Dunne didnt preform

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    Mute Mac Ready
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    Jun 15th 2012, 11:57 PM

    Seriously he needs to go he has to let some of the fringe players play against Italy but he comes up with some crappy excuse not to play them thanks but u have to go now Trap!

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    Mute Oliver Walker
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    Jun 16th 2012, 1:56 AM

    Im not saying we re going to have an all star team after getting rid of the players we have but in all fairness,who thought we were going to do well at Euro 2012 with Paul Green,Paul McShane or Stephen Hunt?this was our first major tournament in 10 Years,it should have been taken more seriously..if they spent more time focusing on their job instead of posing with Mr Tayto or advertising with 3 they might have done a bit better.There has to be talented young players out there,surely the FAI can put money into a better scouting system and actually invest some time and effort into kids that excel at soccer camps and league of Ireland clubs…surely we can do better than what we have at the moment

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    Mute Jim Barry
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    Jun 16th 2012, 2:35 AM

    Oliver, to be fair, I don’t think posing with Mr Tayto or anyone else is the problem. I do agree with you regarding bringing young players through. The difficulty with that is how do you do that in the Irish League? I don’t believe you can. The proof of this is in the fact that very few LOI players are capped. Most come through after apprenticeships and subsequent first team appearances in the English premiership. An academy (like another commenter posted previously) is the only way I think, but that will involve a commitment from the clubs in England. I don’t think that will happen.

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