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Eamon Dunphy: wrong call. INPHO/James Crombie
Italian Job

Eamon Dunphy: Irish football bosses made a mistake on Trap decision

The FAI announced last night that the Italian manager had their backing.

EAMON DUNPHY SAYS FAI chiefs may live to regret ‘the costly mistake’ of backing under-pressure manager Giovanni Trapattoni last night.

Association chiefs met last night in the capital to discuss the Italian’s future.

They ultimately issued a statement which indicated the former Bayern Munich and Inter Milan manager would be staying on in his job but signalled that changes are needed in his approach.

“I think money is at the heart of it. I think they lost their nerve when it came to making their decision,” Dunphy said this morning of the decision from Abbotstown. ”I think they’ve made a big mistake because he is not going to change his ways.”

“To tell someone who is 73 how to do their job just isn’t going to work especially with someone as distinguished and stubborn as this one. He will not change his spots.

“And what will happen is: our next two games are Sweden away, Austria home. If we lose to Sweden the Aviva is going to be empty for the next couple of years. Because the fans understand the issues here,” the RTE pundit added.

Dunphy added that the impassioned defence mounted by Trap’s former assistant, Liam Brady, after the defeat of the Faroe Islands is based on results against weak opposition.

“I think John Delaney and the FAI and Denis O’Brien made a huge leap of faith and a daring move when they hired this man on one of the biggest salaries in world football,” he told Darren Frehill. “And he has not replayed that faith by going to matches, doing his job properly, making himself aware of these young players, he hasn’t done that.”

“We’ve played Kazakhstan and we beat the Faroes Islands. We got hammered, humiliated when we played Germany last Friday. And you know with so many weak nations in the qualifying groups now it’s very possible to make a very convincing statistical argument – which Liam Brady did the other night with great eloquence on RTE. And Liam made the case for Trapattoni and if I ever get got robbing a bank I want Brady as my defence attorney.

“I think the FAI and John Delaney were in a very tough spot, and they made the wrong call and I think they will pay heavily,” he added.

Here’s how Twitter reacted to Giovanni Trapattoni staying on as Ireland boss

Update: FAI give Trapattoni vote of confidence

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