I n Oslo, last week, Ireland were presented with the first evidence that Giovanni Trapattoni will do what he said he would do.

This was nothing to do with the result in the Ullevaal Stadium where, for 45 minutes, Ireland seemed composed in possession before the rains came and they then demonstrated a willingness to compete, even on a water slide, something that has never been in question, especially not in friendlies.

But Trapattoni's important business was done the day before when he named Glenn Whelan in his side, put Liam Miller on standby and relegated Andy Reid to fourth choice of the central midfielders.

This was Giovanni Trapattoni reminding people that when he took the job there was a method beyond the charm and the enthusiasm: there was a determination to qualify in a manner which will owe more to Greece's European Championship success four years ago than to the football witnessed in Austria and Switzerland over the summer. But, above all else, there was a desire to win and win the way he knows how.

Reid, who works hard at every aspect of his game, will feel that he can bring things to the Irish side essential to our qualification hopes, but Trapattoni's clear indication that the team that played last week is, in the fundamentals, the team that will play against Georgia points to a new direction.

Reid appeared to have proved towards the end of the last campaign that he was a player who could bring creativity and composure to an Irish team that always seemed to need more of it. But Trapattoni has decided other things are required first and, in going against conventional wisdom, there is, once again, an indication of what the FAI are getting for their salary.

Reid may be harshly treated, but Trapattoni will not be seduced by headlines or by the fear of what will be said if he leaves a creative player on the bench. Instead, he is creating a side that will be difficult to beat and for that team, he says he needs Glenn Whelan. "I knew many players before coming here," Trapattoni said on Friday, "but I didn't know Whelan. I knew players like McGeady, Duff, Keane, Doyle, that was the team I knew. Not Whelan.

"But in my team, you need balance. It is important to have balance. It's very important. And I like the physical condition also. Today it is very important in modern football, the build and physical condition. We need strong players as well as the technical and stylish players."

Reid again may have been punished for his physical appearance and with Trapattoni ruling him out as a winger, only a change to a 4-2-3-1 or an injury to Robbie Keane is likely to bring Andy Reid back into the first 11. But Whelan and Steven Reid will need to stay fit. While many of the established players rushed to a mini-bus after Wednesday's game to catch private jets back to their clubs, Whelan lingered to talk about his experiences. He is likely to start in the qualifiers, Trapattoni has given him one thing he has never felt from Irish managers in the past. "He believes in me," Whelan said, before repeating it as if to emphasise what has happened, "He believes in me."

When Trapattoni believes in you, it is something. The next day, Trapattoni expanded on his faith. "When I first saw Whelan, I thought immediately 'midfield'. In Italy there is a famous player, Gattuso -- for Milan he is very, very important. He is no Inzaghi, Kaka, but he is Gattuso. For us, Whelan is the same in midfield. We need a strong player." It seemed that Ireland had decided it didn't need Glenn Whelan. When he wasn't selected for the American tour under Steve Staunton, Whelan began to wonder.

"This year is the first year I've been in the squad. There were times when I felt I was doing well enough and there were other players getting picked ahead of me. Obviously it's not the players' fault. It was just the way the manager felt and that's fair enough, but now I've got my chance I have to take it and hopefully as I've said I'm proving a few people wrong. Looking back on that trip there were players playing who weren't even playing for their own clubs at times. I'd played a lot of games and I thought I deserved it but obviously it didn't come around but hopefully now I can get a few more caps."

Whelan acknowledged the assistance he got in Oslo from Steven Reid, who gave a performance that once again indicated what Ireland have been missing during his struggle with injuries. On Wednesday, he was assured, dominant and, at times, showed glimpses of an anger which Ireland need too. If he can stay fit (and the doubts before Wednesday's game suggest this will always be a worry), then Reid will provide Trapattoni with the base he desires.

But there will always be problems. Damien Duff gave occasional glimpses that he may return to something close to his best this season and Ireland need that as much as anything. Trapattoni was encouraged by Aiden McGeady's all-round performance and his willingness to defend but it is still unclear what McGeady's great offensive strengths are. For Ireland, at least, he has yet to demonstrate them. But he has Trapattoni's support and that will be all that matters.

The wide players will need to create more, however, if Ireland are to prosper. Trapattoni acknowledged that there won't be many goals coming from wide positions and he will soon discover that, with Ireland, few goals come from any position.

For that reason, he will always turn to Robbie Keane. Keane is relaxed in Trapattoni's presence and he is a player who, professionally, is at the summit. But he will need to form a partnership with Kevin Doyle, who struggled on Wednesday, or Daryl Murphy who brought some aggression when he came on.

Wherever Ireland play in a fortnight, they will, once again, discover that progressive work in friendlies means nothing, especially against a Georgian side who have been angered by FIFA's initial decision -- since partly reversed -- and the FAI's public suggestion that the game should be played away from Tbilisi.

Whether Ireland's belief can withstand that Georgian anger remains to be seen. Trapattoni suggested that the longer he has with the players, the more that self-confidence will grow. The players, for now, feel the same, but they felt the same after victory in Denmark a year ago.

By that stage, Ireland were already trying to recover from the early periods of self-destruction. Now it is all new.

"We've got some high-class players in and around the team and over the past few campaigns we've been disappointed not to qualify. But everyone wants to get to the World Cup and we're no different," Whelan says. Georgia will have more short-term aims as well and Trapattoni will hope that the qualities he prizes are apparent in two weeks.

The manager has been humble in his new role but he didn't get this far in football by being polite. Last week, he was ruthless too. His team, he said, showed "heart" and he clasped his heart as he said it. It is the quality he most covets in a player. Against Georgia, wherever the game is played, Ireland will need it.