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Italy is one of my favourite countries. Mostly because of the food and the coffee, and all at a fair price. A perfect espresso in Rome, at least in the less touristy areas will cost you about 40 or 50 cents. Simple food alchemy like real tomatoes on toasted, garlic rubbed farmers loaf, drizzled with olive oil and topped with shaved parmesan can make you believe that cooking expertise is totally unnecessary.

Top that off with sea and sun and a glass of wine as you study the style and you have some idea what Giovanni Trapattoni will bring to our hapless International football team.

During his time as manager of Bayern Munich the team was nicknamed F.C. Hollywood simply because of how different he made them seem in contrast to the usually dour Bundesliga elevens. England finally woke up and smelled the coffee by hiring an Italian, who would have thought that Ireland would then go one better by hiring one of his heroes, a veritable legend in his own lifetime. It's a masterstroke!

Forget the glory-borey years of Jack Charlton, the inferiority complex days of Steve Staunton, Trap can take us all the way and what's more he can do it with style. He will also give us laughs and barrels of fun on the way and to top it off he's a real gentleman. The Celtic Tiger may have stopped roaring, but maybe we've finally dumped fashion and gotten some style.