Taking the plaudits: Fernando Torres opened his account at Euro 2012 after four minutes

Trapattoni has been picking from a crew of average players for four years, helping them fight above their weight. He can’t look to the world-class ranks of a team who have won everything.

Last night his team selection still managed to defy belief and any other Ireland manager, without such a renowned, worldwide reputation, could have written his resignation note when he named Simon Cox in a five-man midfield to man-mark Xavi Hernandez. Trapattoni has just been given a new two-year deal.

The West Brom reserve striker was preferred to midfielders Darron Gibson and Paul Green and even Jon Walters, who has played the role for Stoke in the last two seasons.

The 73-year-old is a man of vast experience, and only the former Italy, AC Milan, Juventus and Bayern Munich coach will understand the logic of his team selection. And it will probably stay that way. Such is his limited English that no one else will truly understand his explanation.

Cox actually had a second-minute shot that Iker Casillas parried with ease. But his selection was irrelevant after four minutes because, as Croatia did on Sunday, Spain ripped through the heart of Ireland’s midfield and defence to score a simple goal with the stadium’s four enormous digital clocks still in single figures.

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