Italian icon Giovanni Trapattoni was one of the most high profile managerial appointments ever made by the FAI, having largely being classed as the greatest Italian manager of all time before his arrival in Dublin.
The Italian who had previously managed the likes of Bayern Munich, Milan, and Juventus took on the Irish role in 2008, serving a five year stint in Dublin before departing the country on mutual terms when Ireland’s chances of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup went up in smoke.
While different to his predecessors, Trap enjoyed a reasonably successful tenure in Dublin, the highlight of which was undoubtedly qualification for the 2012 European Championships.
However, Trap should never have had to wait that long to compete in his first major tournament with Ireland. He had arrived in Ireland four years earlier and quickly became only the third Irish manager to end a qualifying campaign unbeaten, earning Ireland a 2010 World Cup playoff spot versus France.
As you know, it was of course Thiery Henry’s infamous injury-time handball that would be the demise of Trapattoni’s dream start, however, what the Italian achieved in those early years in Dublin shouldn’t be overlooked.
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Andy Reid’s cheeky response to old Trapattoni letter
Reminiscing on those days, former Ireland international David Connolly took to X on Monday reminiscing about a ‘classy’ letter the then manager-in-waiting had sent Irish players in preparation of their 2010 qualification campaign.
For Connolly, who had earned forty-one caps for Ireland between 1996 and 2005 but left out of all Steve Staunton’s Ireland squads, the letter which marked his return to the Ireland fold was a positive memory.
The same couldn’t be said for Andy Reid who shared a famously troubled relationship with the Italian, who didn’t choose Reid once in his five-year tenure. A decision that was ravaged by both Irish fans and the media at the time, and was viewed by many as extremely harsh.
As the unearthed letter to Connolly began doing the rounds on social media and garnering its fair share of praise, Dubliner Reid took to X laughing that he didn’t get one.
🤣 not sure I got one of those
— Andy Reid (@AndyReidXI) December 9, 2024
While the arrival of Trapattoni to Irish football would mark a new dawn for Irish football, it would also mark the start of a five-year exile for Reid who never featured under the Italian.
Reid would eventually make his return to the Irish team after Trapattoni’s departure under interim manager Noel King, although that year would mark the end of the midfielder’s international career.
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