Trapattoni seeks ‘mature’ display

The Italian will send his side, minus injured skipper Robbie Keane, into battle at the Aviva Stadium knowing a point will assure them of a play-off berth, but equally aware that defeat would end their hopes of making next summer’s finals.

Trapattoni, whose conservatism has not enamoured him to every Ireland supporter during his three-and-a-half-year reign to date, insists he will go out to win the game. However, he has urged his players not to be caught up in the likely frenzy from the stands.

Trapattoni, who remembers only too well the late equaliser the Republic conceded to his native Italy when they were on the brink of a famous World Cup qualifier victory, said: “Our fans are very important, but we must not think about ‘Go, go, go!’ to score a goal.

“In the past we have tried to score a goal, not scored a goal and conceded on the counter-attack.

“This is a test of or maturity. With maturity, we will look to win, but we have to think always about not conceding a goal. When I came here, I saw a DVD of the Irish team which was leading and attacked with eight players.

“We must do what we want to do, that’s maturity. For our team, for our players, this is a good test to show that with this maturity, we can achieve the result we want. All that matters is the result.”

Assistant boss Marco Tardelli had claimed that Keane was being given every chance to prove his fitness, but his presence in a Malahide bar on Sunday told its own story.

Trapattoni said: “I was a liar. Robbie was out yesterday and was free to go home with his friends or go to the pub. I didn’t want the opponents to know whether he would play or not.”

Keane, who will undergo a series of injections to address the problem, could be sidelined for weeks with the adductor muscle injury, meaning he would have little time to get himself match-fit for any play-off. He will be replaced in the starting line-up by West Brom’s Simon Cox.

Asked to explain his decision, Trapattoni said: “He is not Keane, but he is similar to Keane.”

Goalkeeper Shay Given will captain the side in Keane’s absence. Stephen Kelly will replace the suspended Stephen Ward at left-back, while Richard Dunne’s return from his ban means Darren O’Dea will step aside.