They refer to it now as The Lost Decade, which seems to capture the deadening frustration that Republic of Ireland's supporters endured since the team last qualified for a major tournament.

They were marginalised, confined to indifference, and it took a 72-year-old Italian with a shaky grasp of the language and some old-fashioned convictions to restore pride.

Giovanni Trapattoni is undermined by his longevity. He is the only manager to have won all of UEFA’s club competitions, and one of only two -- with Ernst Happel -- to have won league titles in four countries.

He was once the doyen of Italian coaches, having won all the major honours with Juventus, then Serie A with Inter Milan, but that was in the 1980s and he is more commonly remembered for a forlorn spell in charge of the Azzurri at the 2002 World Cup.

His feats seem like relics now and it has become routine to dismiss him as eccentric. The depiction is flawed, since The Maestro’s entire career has been an expression of his faith in conventional ideas.

His work with Ireland should act as a reminder that he is one of the game’s most successful managers, but also as a measure of the circumstances that tie him and team together. The current squad lacks a world-class figure, and his players are either entering the final years of their career or operating in the middle reaches of the Barclays Premier League.

He remains a defensive manager, setting out his team to be rigid, sound, unadventurous, and reliant on the scant opportunities that are offered by the counter-attack. He is unrepentant. But for Thierry Henry’s handball, Ireland would have qualified for the 2010 World Cup, and they reached the Euro 2012 finals after overcoming Estonia 5-1 in the play-offs.

They finished second in Group B, which contained Russia, Slovakia, Armenia, Macedonia and Andorra, and was comparable to Scotland’s group. They also draw their squad from the same domestic competitions as Scotland, but it is Ireland that are planning for Poland and Ukraine next summer.

There are several explanations, not least the fact that Trapattoni has been Ireland manager since 2008 and has taken advantage of that stability. It is no slight on Craig Levein, though, to recognise that one of the game’s most honoured coaches has made a considerable impact on Ireland’s fortunes.

He can generally choose from four different Premier League strikers -- Kevin Doyle, Shane Long, Jon Walters and Leon Best -- as well as Robbie Keane, but the attack must seem like a quaint consideration to Trapattoni.

At Juventus, he employed four man-marking defenders with an additional sweeper, and even if he has become more contemporary, the onus is still on defence.

Ireland play an inflexible 4-4-2, but it is a sensible approach when only Aiden McGeady can be described as a creator. Damien Duff is no longer a swashbuckling winger, while Glenn Whelan and Keith Andrews provide ballast in midfield.

The bloodline of world-class players that once linked Roy Keane with Paul McGrath, Liam Brady and Johnny Giles might now be broken, but there is a greater depth to Ireland’s resources.

Jack Charlton was eventually ridiculed for his long-ball approach, but his squad often contained players drawn from the lower reaches of the English game.

Trapattoni is not quite so unenlightened, but the two share a sense of pragmatism. Ireland have succeeded by being wary of their own limitations.

Some grumble about the team’s style, but they are unbeaten in 11 matches. They take few risks, but his approach-- of being diligent and cautious -- is best applied against better teams, so Ireland need not approach the finals in fear.

Trapattoni preaches responsibility and commitment, demanding that his players turn up for every friendly and no longer indulge in prolonged drinking sessions after assignments.

There have been culture clashes, as well as awkward moments as he stumbles over the language barrier, but mostly the squad consider him a paternal figure.

Scotland are making their own progress under Levein, and perhaps the closer comparison would be with Berti Vogts. He, too, was a well-respected foreign manager with an impressive pedigree, but was not strong-willed enough to succeed.

There is already talk of a contract extension to keep Trap on board for the 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign.

“I was born in a village and I like Ireland,” he said. “It is like my wife -- no, my life -- in Italy. For this reason I am proud as I understand what Irish people dream about. I understand the Irish mentality.”