Coleman can be as good as Juve legends Cabrini and Gentile – Trap
19 March 2013; Republic of Ireland's Seamus Coleman in action during squad training ahead of their side's 2014 FIFA World Cup, Group C, qualifier match against Sweden on Friday. Republic of Ireland Squad Training, Gannon Park, Malahide, Co. Dublin. Picture credit: David Maher / SPORTSFILE
GIOVANNI Trapattoni believes that Seamus Coleman has the potential to reach the level of Juventus greats Antonio Cabrini and Claudio Gentile if he can tidy up certain aspects of his game.
The Donegal man has earned rave reviews for his contribution to Ireland's 1-1 draw with England at Wembley and Trapattoni was impressed by a player whom he took a while to trust at right-back.
Cabrini and Gentile, the full-backs in Italy's 1982 World Cup-winning side, merged their defensive quality with the ability to get forward. Cabrini, in particular, was a potent threat and the Irish boss feels Coleman (right) can aspire to the standard of the players he managed at his peak once he cuts out some basic errors.
He noted a mistake the ex-Sligo Rovers man made on Wednesday, when he tried to dribble out of trouble near his corner flag and conceded a corner to Daniel Sturridge. "If he loses the ball in those positions, it is very difficult," said Trapattoni, "There are places on the pitch where he has to be careful and places where he can do what he wants.
"But Seamus has great potential. In Juventus, I had Gentile, he was an attacking defender, and Cabrini, he would score five or six goals every year.
"Seamus has to convince himself that he can do it – once he knows when is the time to make a dribble and when not." The 74-year-old was speaking after training in Malahide, where he warned his players that they have a duty to paying punters to maintain the same performance level for Sunday's low-key friendly with Georgia in Dublin.
He will make alterations to his side, hinting at a possible start for Wes Hoolahan and confirming that Marc Wilson will play, so he can prove his fitness ahead of Friday's qualifier with the Faroe Islands.
Richard Dunne is also set to figure at some point, and Trapattoni will also sparingly use Shane Long and James McCarthy considering they are suspended for the Faroes match.
Due to Ireland's poor goal difference, they need a good scoring return from the showdown with the minnows and, while Trapattoni says he wants to experiment against the Georgians, he also wants to put plans in place for the Faroes.
