"I don't know what is happening with Liverpool at the moment but I would be very happy for him," enthused Trapattoni, who was on a whirlwind tour of the south-east of Ireland where he helped launch Waterford United's new stand at the RSC.

"I hope it happens for him because it will be a big challenge. It would be important for him and important for us.

"I think Robbie, at the moment, has matured as players in his position do when they are 26, 27 and 28.

"I called Robbie after our time in Portugal training and the two games against Serbia and Colombia.

"I thanked him for all the time and work and told him we start again with the same mentality in the next fixture."

The Republic's World Cup qualifying campaign will be highlighted by a renewal of rivalries with Marcello Lippi next April, following Italy's underwhelming Euro 2008 campaign which concluded with the sacking of Roberto Donadoni.

"I wish to play against Italy because I want to win.

"The time will be in April 2009 but it is early now. It is very important to go to Italy with two or three very good results against Georgia and Montenegro.

"Lippi was the champion coach. At the moment, he is the best for Italy. Every moment is important.

"Every nationality has to build again the international team.

"They are young players and I think Lippi will need to maybe change something."

While Lippi has already all but ruled out the prospect of Francesco Totti or Alessandro Nesta emerging from retirement to aid the Azzurri campaign, his Irish counterpart is still in the dark about premature retiree Stephen Ireland's future in a green shirt.

The invitation remains open-ended and without strings.

"At the moment no. After our meeting, I say in the future I want you, the national team needs you.

"And in the future, the new season, we look to see if you're ready to come back."

FAI chief executive John Delaney yesterday also confirmed that plans to host a Four Nations tournament between the Republic, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland in 2011 may still be in a position to go ahead and may form part of the protracted sale of corporate packages in Lansdowne Road.

He also added that following discussions at Euro 2008 with Michel Platini, he remained "confident" that Lansdowne Road would be hosting the 2012 UEFA Cup final, although he stressed that this would not be included in any corporate packages.