Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni has admitted that he could walk away from the job – even if his side negotiates next month’s play-off against Estonia and qualifies for the Euro 2012 finals.
Trap has come under criticism for the appalling shite style of play the team has offered, particularly in recent months, with unconvincing performances against Slovakia, Russia, Andorra and Armenia this season.
His side was still unbeaten in those games, conceding just one goal, and are now hot favourites to deliver a first finals appearance in ten years when they go head-to-head with the unheralded Estonians over two legs in November.
Should Ireland reach the finals in Poland and Ukraine, the expectation would be that Trapattoni would remain in situ not just until next summer, but probably for a further campaign ahead of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
But the Sunday Independent reports that he may step down even if the team is successful in the play-offs, which would probably be a best-case scenario for many Irish football supporters.
He’s quoted as saying, “After we qualify, we can also say our job is done, thank you very much, thank you. We can either qualify and go to the tournament and we fulfil the option or qualify and say okay, if there is no extension our job is done.”
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