SOCCER NEWS:GIOVANNI TRAPATTONI will take a day or two before deciding with his wife whether to return home to Italy or take a short break here in Ireland now following his release from hospital yesterday. However, the veteran coach insisted once more yesterday there is no question of him missing the Republic of Ireland's trip to Armenia at the start of next month.
The 71-year-old was in typically high spirits as he met up with the press upon leaving the Mater hospital yesterday announcing he had wanted to speak with journalists because he knew they missed him and because he wanted to reassure them: “I’m not dead.”
He had, he said, used some of the time spent in hospital since he was taken ill on the eve of the Argentina game to study footage of the Armenians in action and he shrugged off the suggestion that his ongoing convalescence in the wake of a minor surgical procedure on his bowel might prevent him travelling with the team for the game.
“It is only a four- or five-hour flight,” he said. “With today’s medicines, people are operated on in New York and after a week, they fly to Europe.
“I can start my job immediately no problem. Until two days before I became sick, I was running and working in the gym. In a week, I will start again in my gym, doing my exercises, so I am fine
“What to do until then I can decide with my wife who is here. We like being on holidays and we decide after tomorrow, maybe we will stay here.”
Asked about the illness that led to him being hospitalised and operated upon, Trapattoni confirmed that the problem had in part been related to a previous operation he had undergone some years ago.
“My wife cooks very well,” he said. “But before I came to Ireland, I ate Italian fish (shellfish). Afterwards, I have a very bad bowel. I thought it was because of the food but it continued for a few days so I said: ‘Doctor, I think we need to check this’. We discovered it was connected with a situation from many years ago.
“I had a fantastic doctor in Martin O’Donoghue, and even though it was an old scar I asked him if it was going to be a problem in the future if we did nothing. He said it wasn’t too bad and we could see in a few days but I was confident about what to do and said: ‘Doctor, operate immediately’.”
The manager ended up watching the game from his hospital bed and insists that the team did as well as could have been expected given the absence of several important players.
Although Armenia are a difficult proposition at home, Trapattoni feels that the team can do much better there in the opening game of their campaign to qualify for the European championships.
He revealed too that he had spoken with goalkeeper Shay Given and advised him not to leave Manchester City too hastily in the wake of manager Roberto Mancini’s decision to play Joe Hart
“I spoke with him. He has a good mentality, he is a strong man.
“I look for him; there are teams not only in England but also Italy who Shay could play for. I assured him I think he can play again in Manchester. It is better he stay because I think he can play.”
