In recent years, it seems that people have failed to look back with much fondness at Ireland's time under Giovanni Trapattoni.
While the team would reach Euro 2012 under his tutelage, they would go on to put in one of the most disastrous performances seen at a major tournament. They would also employ a very basic brand of football throughout his tenure, one that was difficult to watch at times.
In saying that, there were some excellent performances along the way. The World Cup play-off against France in Paris was one such occasion, with Ireland putting in a remarkable display to force extra-time in the tie. We're not really sure what happened after that point in the game.
There were rumours circulating in the aftermath of that fixture that the players took it upon themselves to have a more attacking approach, going against what their manager had asked of them up to that point. However, there seems to be little truth in such stories.
Kevin Doyle on Ireland's play-off loss to France
Speaking on Virgin Media, Kevin Doyle said there were no such demands from the players ahead of that game. He also defended the team's playing style during this period, believing it suited their squad and that many only consider the latter days of the Trapattoni era when looking back at that side.
"There was a rumour for that France game that we came together as players and decided to play our own way. That never happened."
Kevin Doyle on Ireland under Giovanni Trapattoni.#COYBIG pic.twitter.com/k5YkJAY9TI— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) July 21, 2022
There was a rumour that we went out for that France game, came together as players and decided we were going to play our own way. That never happened either, unless I was left out of meetings.
It never happened. I keep hearing that we did, but it never happened.
We just set up to be an organised team, organised defensively. I suppose the way Trap looked at it was 'I'm getting them together for four days here, I'm going to get them organised defensively, we got good attacking players on the pitch so hopefully we can get a goal or two'...
We couldn't have played like the Ireland team have played in the last few weeks in playing it out from the back, because the players didn't suit that. You play with what you've got at that stage...
The perception near the end of Giovanni's time was that we played the whole way through like that, but we didn't to begin with. In the first campaign we played some good football and put in good performances, near the end it became very poor...
It wasn't that we booted it forward for 90 minutes. The players we had suited a more direct style.
Ireland were a very effective team for the first half of the Trapattoni era, but as Doyle points out, the whole setup became a bit of a disaster from Euro 2012 on.
Of course, he was not the only manager that employed a very negative approach during his time in charge of Ireland. At least up he picked up a few decent results along the way and we all got a nice trip to Poland.
SEE ALSO: John Arne Riise Goes Into Detail On Infamous Craig Bellamy Golf Club Incident
