While considering a possible move to Ireland, Giovanni Trapattoni sought advice on our culture and etiquette. The resulting briefing document was obtained for The Irish Timesby Fiona McCannand Róisín Ingle.
Giovanni Trapattoni should be greatly encouraged that Irish people have a natural affiliation with Italians, and have been looking to Rome for guidance these past centuries.
The links between the two alphabetically aligned countries were cemented in 1847 when their great liberator Daniel O'Connell chose to have his heart buried in the Italian capital. From Ballymun to Ballina, it is expected that the man they are calling the great liberator of Irish soccer will soon lose his heart to Ireland.
The Irish come to praise Trapattoni, not to bury him. Except, maybe, for Eamon Dunphy.
In culinary terms, Trapattoni and his wife Paula can make themselves instantly at home in the nation's capital.
Irish food is remarkably similar to Italian cuisine, given that trail-blazing chefs like Fusciardi and Borza have been influencing Irish dining habits for decades now. Any initial homesickness can be staved off with a hearty helping of Il Sausage Batteredo with a large side of Ecurriedah Chipzo.
While the Irish favour the Italian model over the Swiss, when it comes to timekeeping, eating is still an efficient affair, and lasts 3.5 minutes, compared with the 3.5 hours favoured on the Continent.
In deference to the rest of the EU, they have conceded some flexibility regarding teatime, which can now be moved from the traditional 6pm as late as 6.30pm, although dining after the closing credits of their 6.01 news programme would be to fall out of step with the national psyche and may interfere with digestion.
Born in Milan, Trapattoni will be familiar with the Duomo di Milano, the magnificent cathedral where the youth of that city gather at the weekend to discuss art, philosophy, poetry and culture. He'll be cheered to hear of the Dublin equivalent, the imposing Central Bank on Dame Street, where eye-linered youths congregate for discussions about skateboards and how much they hate their parents.
The Italians are globally renowned fashion leaders but Trapattoni would do well to dress down as he arrives to this more casual clothing culture.
While snappy Armani suits may be de rigueuron the catwalks of Milan, the streets of Dublin are more likely to throw up such fashion-forward concepts as all-day pyjamas.
He may also wish to tone down his Italian habit of gesticulation and table-thumping as the Irish tend to limit use of non-verbal gestures to one-finger salutes, directing traffic and nose-picking.
Such effusiveness is also discouraged when it comes to greetings. While air-kissing is acceptable, nay compulsory, on the southside, such behaviour is not condoned north of the Liffey, especially in the vicinity of his new stomping ground, Croke Park, where off-field hugs may offend.
In conclusion, if he plays his forwards right over the coming years, Trapattoni is likely to be adopted as one of their own and may even be fast-tracked to sainthood, especially when the word gets out that his birthday coincides with March 17th, St Patrick's Day.