When one does a roll call of the greatest managers of all time, Giovanni Trapattoni would figure quite prominently due to his exploits with Juventus and other clubs.

However his time with Ireland did not end on a happy note after leaving the job by mutual consent, following much criticism about the style of play.

But he continues to be a living legend in his native Italy. So how did his countrymen react to his time in charge and eventual departure?

Irish Times Rome and Vatican correspondent Paddy Agnew was on the line to discuss the fallout from this week's events, Trap's immediate future and hints that the 74-year-old's relationship with the FAI was not wholly rosy.

"A vast majority of Italian football critics would say that Trap did very well with Ireland, managing to get Ireland within a Thierry Henry handball of South Africa and getting to the European Championships. Most Italian critics would say we had a fairly ordinary squad.

"His departure was met with neither bemusement nor surprise. The Italian media has followed him very closely so they knew of the news in the wake of the losses to Sweden and Austria that he was coming to the end. La Stampa (an Italian newspaper) said 'yet again his Irish critics point the finger at his age...obsessed with playing the same experienced, tired out players...that he was too cautious. In reality his squad was one with no collection of world class players but the fans don't want to acknowledge this.' Italian critics think he did a great masterpiece to get them to Poland."

So Trap's star still shines brightly and with no talk of retirement, the veteran manager is likely to turn up in another managerial role before long.

Agnew says no one should be surprised if he still ends up going to Brazil with another national team.

"He's a living legend in Italy and a fantastic advert for Italian football. But he is 74 so nobody expects him to get a job in Serie A. In the last year, he has been contacted by Chinese and African federations. The offers could relate to the World Cup next year. There's a precedence. In 2002, Cesare Maldini took on a last minute appointment with Paraguay in South Korea & Japan. There is speculation that Trap could be in the running for a job like that."

And is there a part of Trap that is glad to have left the Ireland job behind?

"I was surprised at reports of a consensual parting of the ways between the FAI and Trapattoni but in fact that is the case. Trap is the type of person that would never resign a job for one obvious reason - that's the end of your payment.

"I don't know if he has a respect for Irish football but he certainly had huge respect for the Irish fans and Ireland. He liked his time in Ireland. As for his relationship with the FAI, I know there were occasions when he was unpleasantly surprised by initiatives taken by them on a number of different occasions. Some people in the Trapattoni camp felt that the FAI's expectations and sense of their own position was a little bit exaggerated."

Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni on Croagh Patrick ©INPHO/Donall Farmer