'If you want a show you can go to La Scala. In football the result is everything, it is the only thing.'
Giovanni Trapattoni is in the habit of repeating himself. He is on message. He says the same thing again and again. Then he says it again. Over and over again. It is as if by repetition his message is more likely to land. Does that remind you of the darker days of primary school and the teacher that you reluctantly admit taught you more than you ever imagined you knew?
A storm of indignation is brewing over the quality of Ireland’s performances in the World Cup qualifiers but the excellent ad campaign has it just about right. The greatest gift that Trapattoni has given us is hope. And slowly but surely, as the group of players gets tighter and more focused, the belief is evident. That belief can carry us all the way to South Africa.
True, the game against Montenegro was played at testimonial pace and our Balkan visitors can feel justified in claiming a stonewall penalty. But as Trapattoni pointed out in a most entertaining post-match press conference when he jumped out from behind a desk and mimed the actions of the penalty that we should have had in Podgorica, provoking a response of laughter among the hacks. And then applause for a man whose press conferences have become more entertaining than his team's performances.
C’est la vie, or whatever the Italian equivalent phrase might be. 'This is the life' is another Trappism that is knocking around my head after prolonged exposure to the maestro over the last two weeks.
Trapattoni is two parts philosophy and one part pragmatism as he mixes his ingredients together to bake the Irish cake. The sometimes hysterical criticism needs to have a context.
Ireland remain unbeaten and only Spain, the Netherlands, Germany and Italy can boast of the same. All of the others, of course, qualified automatically.
To say that Italy is the worst side ever to wear the Azzurri when they comfortably came from the 'poorest group' by heartbreakingly equalising against Ireland at Croke Park AND days later coming from two goals down to beat Cyprus 3-2 with a last gasp winner shows us the character and personality of the World champions.
They weren’t that good when they won the World Cup in Germany either but no-one wins the trophy on artistic merit, not yet anyway. But maybe Sepp Blatter is looking into that as well? Hey, we could have a Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh, Cheryl Cole-type panel along with Bill O’Herlihy deciding the games on stepovers and nutmegs.
Anyway, the journey has been remarkable and it isn’t over yet with a draw on Monday in Zurich and a play-off to come. The achievement of reaching the play-offs and overcoming our seeding certainly deserves respect.
Speaking of seeding, we should get over our disappointment that there will be two pots in Zurich and just take who we get. Trap’s Ireland deserve respect at the end of the group and maybe some day that respect will be forthcoming.
Looking at our prospective opponents a bit more closely, analysis will suggest that we should not fear anyone.
France, who we famously beat 0-0 in Paris during the Brian Kerr era drew with Romania twice, and only beat Kerr’s Faroes 1-0! They are hardly the force they once were and they don’t seem to have the faith in their manager that our players have.
Portugal, with or without Ronaldo, are surely not to be feared either. They lost 3-2 to Demark and followed that with three 0-0 draws with Sweden, Albania and Sweden again. Like the better teams they have done enough though to get to here.
Greece lost to the Swiss twice, and drew with Israel and Moldova and only beat Luxembourg by one goal. There’s no easy games in football anymore?
And Russia, who appear to be everyone’s fear, not least because of weather conditions in November, lost to Germany twice drew with Azerbaijan and only
beat Liechtenstein by one goal! There’s no easy games in football, or am I repeating myself?
Bring them on! At this stage of the season it’s just great to be still involved in the World Cup. Check in your fears at the door and console yourself with the fact that although we might be hard to watch, we’re equally hard to beat.
Tony O'Donoghue is RTÉ's Soccer Correspondent.
