There is no doubt Giovanni Trapattoni's English has improved along with the Republic of Ireland results and after a month in the job it's safe to say that the new gaffer has got a handle on the gig.
But when he said in the post match interview that he thought 
John Delaney played well it was hard to keep a straight face.
Maybe the Chief Executive of the FAI should get some credit at last for the appointment and for the relative stability surrounding the Republic of Ireland senior set up since Trapattoni, Tardelli and Brady were handed the reins.
I know, of course, that it was Don Givens, Don Howe and Ray Houghton who made the appointment and that the Chief Executive is loath to be associated with the senior manager's position lest his fate and theirs be intertwined.
But there are organ grinders and there are monkeys and maybe going forward, as the CEO is wont to say, the only weight on the shoulders of the Irish team will be the hand of history gently guiding us to the World Cup finals in South Africa in two years time.
A month into his reign and Trapattoni is not just a good coach, he's lucky too.
There's simply no doubt that the better team lost at Craven Cottage as a Colombia side, who remain unbeaten in South American qualifying and who have taken all the points off Argentina whilst conceding just one goal in four games, were knocked back by the boys in green.
And it really is the simple things that make the difference.
Sharing a tiny dugout with the fourth official, the FAI security man Tony Hickey and the Fulham stadium announcer, David Hamilton, (do you remember when he used to present Top of the Pops?) meant we were as close as I’m ever going to get to the Republic of Ireland bench.
It also meant that we got a terrific insight into how the coach and his team get their message across during the game.
From the off the management team were as switched on as their charges and their constant urgings helped to literally keep the players on their toes.
'Face the ball!' shouted Brady as some players turned their back 
while they jogged back into position before a goal kick. It's clear that a lot of work has been done on restarts and set pieces and there was marked improvement in Ireland's offside line.
Trapattoni shouted instructions towards the pitch and then turned to his substitutes and explained to them the message he was trying to get across.
Despite being under the cosh the Irish defensive line was rarely enough breached and it was often long range efforts that didn’t trouble the excellent Kiely or an occasional slip on the greasy surface that gave the Colombians an opportunity.
John O'Shea had one of his better games at right full back and it would make you wonder what will happen if Steve Finnan is to return to the international arena.
Finnan clearly didn't like moving across and playing in the left full back position under Steve Staunton and that unhappiness may have hastened his departure from the fold.
Damien Delaney has probably been the surprising success story of the Trap era so far. Earning his second full cap the other night at Fulham he improved in leaps and bounds on his proper debut at Croke Park against Serbia.
The Corkman has a terrific physique and got up and down the line well. He also brings a nice bit of bite to the position, crunching eagerly into the tackle.
In the centre Paul McShane had the look of a man with something to prove and his determination to succeed has been the making of him so far in a relatively fledgling career. What is it they say? 'Attitude is more important than ability'
Richard Dunne could well be on his way to Spurs to join up with his buddy Robbie Keane and his ability and application is unquestioned. Without doubt one of the first names on the sheet at club or international level.
It's in midfield where a lack of quality was most apparent and we must hope that the two Reids, Andy and Stephen, are back in contention come the August friendly in Norway.
The whole question of Stephen Ireland and the others returning 
has got to be answered sooner rather than later and if they are not involved for that friendly it's hard to see Trappatoni including them in the travelling squad for Georgia and Montenegro and the real business of the qualifiers.
The coach said he had contacted them again and appeared to indicate that he had left messages in their mailbox. 'My door is open,' he claimed, but the ball, it seems, is firmly back in their court.
When it suits the coach to have some ambiguity around an issue he reverts to 'Trapspeak', a very Bertie way of achieving consensus, the right result through realpolitik.
Trapattoni knows that only results matter in football and in politics and even if the players don't return the new coach has inculcated a sense of professionalism and offered a direction that’s been clearly lacking for some time.
The destination is South Africa and the World Cup Finals. The journey will surely be an interesting one.
Tony O'Donoghue is Group Football Correspondent for RTÉ.
