BBC Sport Online profiles Italy coach Giovanni Trapattoni, the most successful Serie A manager ever.
It came as no surprise when Giovanni Trapattoni was appointed as Italy's national team coach.
Despite Dino Zoff taking Italy to the final of Euro 2000, where they lost to France, there was a certain inevitability that Trapattoni would take the helm and guide the team to World Cup qualification.
The 62-year-old is the most successful coach to have graced Serie A.
Trapattoni's glittering career has seen him win the scudetto six times with Juventus, once with AC Milan and a Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich.
Add one European Cup, three Uefa Cups and a Cup Winners' Cup to his curriculum vitae and it becomes even more obvious that it was only a matter time that Trapattoni would take control of the Azzurri.
The only blip in his career came at Calgiari when he was dismissed before the Sardinian club's eventual relegation.
While Italian club football endured one of its darker phases, with passport, match-fixing and dope scandals rocking the game, Trapattoni made light work of World Cup qualification.
Bar the initial 2-2 draw with Hungary, Italy were ruthlessly efficient in the qualifiers.