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There’s never a dull moment where Ireland are concerned. After a brave Euros qualification campaign came the humiliation of the finals themselves. Then the recent last gasp win over mighty Kazakhstan. As the World Cup qualifier campaign gathers pace, three of the lynch-pins of the squad discuss Trapp’s reputation for managerial stubborness, his controversial selection of players from the lower echelons of British soccer and tell us what’s on their iPhone playlists

Stuart Clark, 02 Oct 2012

I’m sorry for making him relive the nightmare, but on a scale of 1 to 10 how tough were Spain to play against in Poland?

“‘14’!” he laughs. “I played the first 45 minutes, which was like playing 90 minutes against a normal team. All three of their central-midfield players rotate that much it’s impossible to get close. When you think you’ve a chance of nicking the ball they just pop it off. It was like they had 22 lads on their team and we had five; it was like playing Barcelona and Real Madrid at the same time!”

Jonathan Walters said during the Euros – possibly as a dig at Trap – that it’s not unusual playing for Stoke City to switch systems four or five times in a game. How often do Forest change things?

“Well, we played Bolton on Friday night on the telly and went 1-0 up. Then they started to dominate possession in the last 15 minutes, so we went from 4-4-2 to 5-5-1. You do that because you feel the other team’s on top. It’s having the knowledge of how to play not just one system but two or three.”

Is Trap equally flexible when it comes to tactics?

“Yeah, definitely,” he insists. “Being able to play not just as a striker has benefited me at international level. In the Spanish game there was an extra midfielder, in the Croatia game I came on left-midfield. I’ve tried to adapt to the way Trap wants me to play.”

Prior to his Nottingham move Cox plied his trade at West Bromwich Albion where until taking the England job Roy Hodgson was the manager. How did they get on?

“He was a really, really nice man. He’s got two personalities – one is what you see in front of the cameras, the other is on the training-pitch. They’re completely different. He’s brilliant on the pitch; it’s very well drilled how he wants you to play. He’d always talk to the young lads and have a laugh and a joke. He’d swear like a trooper as well! He’s one of the smartest men you’ll ever meet too because he speaks four languages.”

I wish I could swear in four languages! Any young Irish players in the Championship that we – or, more to the point, the manager – should be looking out for?



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