The cat is most certainly in the sack now as Giovanni Trapattoni's time in charge of Ireland has officially come to an end.

The claw marks were on the wall from the moment David Alaba's goal went in last night, almost certainly ruling Ireland out of the 2014 World Cup.

And in no particular order, here are the photos which sum up Trap's five years in charge.

The cat is in the sack

The 1 - 1 draw with Estonia in a November 2011 European Championship playoff was the high point of Trap's rule. The Boys in Green had picked up a 4 - 0 win in Talinn four days previously to all but book their place in Poland and Ukraine.

Trap famously claimed that he was not counting his chickens by using an old Italian saying: "No say the cat is in the sack when he no in the sack".

Manuela Spinelli

While many are glad to be seeing the back of Trap, there will  be some sadness that his translator Manuela will also be departing - that's unless the FAI appoint another Italian manager with very little English.

Thank you all for your kind messages. It's been an incredible honour for me to work with Giovanni, Marco and @FAIreland.

— Manuela Spinelli (@SpinelliManuela) September 11, 2013

Ireland 1 - 6 Germany

©INPHO/James Crombie

If anyone thought Euro 2012 was the nadir, they were very much mistaken. Ireland's 6 - 1 home defeat to Gemany at the start of the qualifiers was humiliating, excruciating and just downright unacceptable.

Euro 2012

©INPHO/Donall Farmer

The clock would not tick down fast enough in a farcical performance against Spain at the Euros.

Thierry Henry

 ©INPHO/Donall Farmer

 Trap almost sent us to the 2010 World Cup in his first campaign as manager. But fate and Thierry Henry's hand intervened to stop us forcing a penalty shoot-out in Paris.