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Giovanni Trapattoni could be on a collision course with Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane in America this summer.

Ivory Coast want a more experienced manager in charge for the World Cup in Brazil and the sacked Irish boss is top of their hit-list.

And were Trapattoni to accept an offer, he could even go head-to-head with O’Neill in a pre-tournament friendly in the United States in June.

The FAI are planning at least one game against World Cup opposition after the home friendly with Turkey in May and away clash with Italy in Zurich or London.

And World Cup-bound Ivory Coast along with Spain, Nigeria, Greece, Honduras and Bosnia have signed up for a Road to Brazil series in America between May 27 and June 10.

Bolivia and El Salvador, who are not going to the finals, are also confirmed and Ireland could be added to the line-up - or alternatively arrange games against some of those opponents.

Ivory Coast - who will face Colombia, Greece and Japan in the World Cup - are managed by ex-France

international Sabri Lamouchi but reports in Italy claim Trapattoni is the man they really want.

And ‘The Elephants’ have form in this regard as they sacked Vahid Halilhodzic and appointed Sven Goran Eriksson before the 2010 World Cup finals.

Trapattoni, 74, has snubbed club offers in Italy and China because he is holding out for an approach from a World Cup team.

He was already sounded out by third parties for the Mexico and Algeria jobs - both of whom are going to Brazil, and also Paraguay and Libya who are not.

Speaking in Italy last week, Trapattoni - who was sacked by Ireland last September - said: “Let’s just say I’ve had some curious and very interesting offers.

“I’ve so many different options but it must be the right move - I need a project for two years to make it work.”

Meanwhile, one of Trapattoni’s former strikers admits he could not have asked for a better start to life at his new club.

Shane Long is buzzing after scoring two goals in his first three games for Hull since his move from West Brom.

Long opened his account in the 1-1 home draw with Tottenham and followed it up with another in the away win at Sunderland.

And he beamed yesterday: “I’m delighted to get two goals out of three games.

“We played well against Tottenham the previous week and deserved more than a draw and it was the same at Crystal Palace.

“But it was nice to play well at Sunderland and come away with three points.

“There’s a long way to go and a lot of hard work to put in, but this is a step in the right direction.”