In an effort to boost team morale and to inject passion into a faltering Irish team, Giovanni Trappatoni has sensationally named Mauthausen-Gusen Concentration Camp as his team’s final preparation point before their World Cup qualifier with Austria.
Ireland will face the Austrians in Dublin tomorrow evening knowing victory would leave them in second place in Group C behind leaders and likely group winners Germany.
Trappatoni stated “It’s the perfect place to train and to get a glimpse into Austria’s history. We need to focus and concentration is the name of the game. When I told the team that we were going to a concentration camp, there was great confusion amongst the players. Paul McShane thought we were visiting a Kia-Ora factory in Leitrim.”
Although with good intentions, the move has sparked controversy in Austria, with president Heinz Fischer stating “Many lives were lost at that horrible place. Even my own Grandfather passed away in his sleep on April 4th 1940, on top of tower 5A.”
Despite media criticism, Giovanni Trappatoni has reiterated that the team will be totally respectful during their brief visit and that all matters will be dealt with professionally. “The facilities are impeccable and the resources available will be of great use. The Accommodation is still fully intact and since Ryanair lost the team’s luggage, we were granted permission to borrow shoes from the museum for the match”
Ireland have suffered a blow, though, with skipper Robbie Keane ruled out because of a hurty knee and John O’Shea traumatised after catching a glimpse of himself in a bathroom mirror.
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