Giovanni Trapattoni's Jurassic approach to international irked Ireland's supporters at Euro 2012 and Friday's record 6-1 defeat to the superior Germans has threatened to end a love affair which peaked less than a year ago.
Hailed a national hero after the Irish reached their first major finals in 10 years, the team's embarrassing Euros campaign - in which they lost all three games and conceded 10 goals - has left the national team's followers disillusioned. That they lost to Germany was irrelevant, for the pitiful manner of it only exacerbated the estranged relationship between Trap and fans.
At 73, the Italian's age appears to have caught up with him. So with tonight's match against the Faroe Islands potentially his last match in charge of the Republic it's time to remember the best of Trap.