Assessing the apparent issues within the Republic of Ireland set up, Richard Dunne has urged manager Martin O'Neill to pay closer heed to the example set by his predecessor, Giovanni Trapattoni.
Between Declan Rice and Harry Arter choosing to temporarily (at least) leave the squad, and Ireland's humbling 4-1 defeat by Wales in the UEFA Nations League, the former Irish international believes that the team lacks the kind of cohesion that was on show throughout the Italian manager's reign.
In order to harness this potential and elevate Ireland to a safer, more productive position, Dunne believes O'Neill could learn a lesson or two from the progressive Italian.
Writing in his Irish Independent column, Dunne acknowledged O'Neill's 'brilliant motivational skills,' but, believes they will be largely useless 'if the players are losing their belief in him, or respect for him, because of what's happened on the training ground.'
Citing O'Neill's 'old school' approach as a potential problem, Dunne is also under the impression that the 'bad cop/bad cop' routine he and Roy Keane are undertaking is unlikely to restore confidence amid the players.
The former Manchester City centre-half has a solution however; be more like Trapattoni.
"You think of Giovanni Trapattoni, there's no way he was working off video technology when he started out as a coach but when he was our manager with Ireland he used all of that, he knew everything, he knew what his plans were, knew everyone's role."
Arguing that O'Neill's decision to let the players know late on who is and is not playing may be hindering the team's attempts at planning ahead, Richard Dunne wants the former Celtic boss to change his ways.
"If he tells them in advance what the plan is, the players will instantly have confidence as they are going out knowing exactly what they have to do, they have been prepared in their own heads."
Although few are unlikely to remember Trapattoni as a harbinger of great, progressive change, his Ireland team certainly were left in no doubt of what they had to do.
