Austrian coach Koller doesn’t get hot under the collar with press but something is still definitely lost in no translation

Conor Sammon was a centre of attention at the inquisition of Austrian manager Marcel Koller yesterday evening.

Unfortunately, Koller’s refusal to answer questions in anything but German meant his interpreter was also brought centre stage.

Translated press conferences always bring these already surreal situations to another plain. Especially when the Austrian journalists’ questions aren’t translated.

We seek a team? No team. That left us in the dark as to whether the smaller, speedier Philipp Hosiner will be rewarded for his brace in the 6-0 thrashing of the Faroe Islands or if 6ft 5in captain Marc Janko will return to try and do what Zlatan Ibrahimovic failed to do.

It switches the focus to Sammon replacing Robbie Keane. It turns out Koller saw enough in the Derby County striker’s recent performance against Poland and the brief cameo against Sweden to state he wasn’t surprised by his inclusion for Ireland’s injured captain.

Incidentally, Koller looks a little like Bill Murray in Lost in Translation .

“Sammon has the talent, especially in the home games, he has a lot of power and he will use that power in the home game as well,” said Koller.

Moments later, Koller said of Keane: “He is a very experienced player so he can’t just be replaced, a very valuable player, especially in home games, and well loved in the audience. So, if he is not playing that could be an advantage for us.”

We move on to Giovanni Trapattoni. Ireland's Italian leader, of course, spent two seasons with Red Bull Salzburg.

Advantage
"I don't think it is an advantage. Trapattoni does know one or two players from his time at Salzburg and while on one hand it can be an advantage, it doesn't have to be.

“We’ll just have to see what happens tomorrow and I hope it won’t be a decisive advantage.”

Trap says this is a must win game for Ireland, how do you view it for Austria? (We get excited when the Austrians laugh during the answer). “Of course we would like to win tomorrow’s game and this is what we will have to demonstrate.”

(That was the funny part)

“Through the games with Sweden, Austria and Ireland it is clear they are all really close together but if we want to take part in the games in November we will have to score.”

Score must mean win, or maybe draw.

It eventually gets serious. Has Koller noticed a change in Ireland’s tactics, and not just personnel, since the Euros?

“The Irish team is a very young team at the moment so there must have been changes. Trapattoni is known for his tactics that he tries to implement a very strict discipline and this is very important for the young players especially.

“But he also puts a lot of importance on experience so this is one area that needs to be worked on and Trapattoni is trying to make a new team grow closer together.”

One more question. What is the perception of Trapattoni in Austria?

German answer
After Koller's German answer, the Austrian press officer thanks everyone for attending and redirects us to the pitch to watch them train.

Not wanting the English version of his words to be lost forever, we plead for the translation.

“I have not been in Austria a long time myself,” said the man capped 56 times by Switzerland (hence his unheard bilingual abilities), “but obviously his great reputation, he has been internationally successful in Germany, in Austria, Italy and now here in Ireland.

“He is one of the top trainers around, has a lot of experience and shows a great deal of respect to his colleagues . . .”