Regardless of whether or not you appreciate Italian football there are certain things you can’t take away from it. One of them is the success of their managers. Few nations have produced as many winning managers. Managers who have not only won a lot, but have also shown the ability to travel outside their local stomping ground and continue to win. At the head of the pack is Giovanni Trapattoni.
Trapattoni is a manager who’s record speaks for itself. He has won the Italian Serie A over seven times. He’s won the Italian Cup twice along with the Italian Supercup. He’s won the UEFA European Cup (now known as the Champions League). He’s won the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, the European Super Cup, the Intercontinental Cup, and one three occasions he won the UEFA Cup. And that’s only counting his record in Italy. Abroad he has won the German League, the German Cup, and the German League Cup with Bayern Munich. He’s also won the Portuguese League and the Austrian League along with winning the Nations Cup in 2011 as the coach of Ireland’s national football team. He is the most decorated coach in Italy and the only coach to have won all UEFA competitions.
With Sweden preparing to face of against Ireland in a World Cup qualification match I couldn’t miss the opportunity to see Trapattoni and snap some shots of his and Ireland captain Robbie Keane’s press conference and of Ireland’s training session at Friends Arena.
Naturally tomorrow I will be on hand for the match itself. It’s the first competitive football match in Stockholm’s newly build national arena. Stay tuned for pictures from the match. These pictures and more available via Pic-Agency.
