We can defeat Germans: McCarthy

By Bill George

THE historic significance of a game against Germany in the World Cup finals was not lost on manager Mick McCarthy when he reflected yesterday on Ireland’s preparations for a Group E clash that is likely to decide our fate in the competition.

Germany, three times world champions, go into the game with the type of reputation, the tradition, that can only be matched by the best: by Brazil, by Italy and by Argentina.

“The Germans are very well﷓organised, they’ve got big, powerful players, they’ve got that aura about being Germany, playing in the WC finals,” said McCarthy.

“But the question we have to ask is: Who are you playing. Are you playing the German national team that’s won it three times or are you playing 11 German players on the pitch? A big difference in my mind.”

He explained: “Some of the lads will tell you teams go to Highbury, Anfield, Old Trafford and they find it different.

“They might not be great teams but they are playing the club, they are playing this name and I think we’ve had a reverse effect on it at times. When we’ve turned up people look at us and think we’re only playing Ireland, not a big nation, not got a great history in world football and then they get their arses kicked for taking us lightly.

“It’s happened on a number of occasions. I don’t suspect the German team will treat us lightly.”

McCarthy was at his pugnacious best yesterday on the eve of the biggest match of his six years term as manager. A positive result against Germany, and anything short of a defeat must be viewed as positive, and Ireland will have a superb chance of advancing to the knock﷓out stages and, perhaps, a match in Korea against Spain.

He spoke of the legacy of good feeling and of confidence within the Irish camp after the stirring come﷓back from being one goal down against Cameroon: “I think Cameroon have got something the Germans don’t have.

“There are one or two more players with a little bit of trickery and a little bit of flair than perhaps the Germans have but the Germans are perhaps better organised, possibly physically stronger.”

“We hope we can compete with Germany. A lot has been talked about our team spirit, our togetherness and the way we work for each other but we’ve got very good players as well,” he said.

“You don’t compete over the period that we’ve competed just with team spirit, chasing around and closing people down, You need the ability to keep the ball, pass it and create chances, we’ve done that.”

He said the Irish supporters played a major role in Niigata and he looked forward again to a repeat performance from them.

“It is a huge help when you walk out there to see the support. We walked out nearly two hours before the game against Cameroon not knowing what kind of support was going to be there and then seeing almost one quarter of the stadium was full of Irish supporters. It helps, of course, it does.”

He turned Irish optimism on full when he was asked to explain how he would feel if Ireland drew the game and said: “We can beat them.

“I’m bullet﷓proof because nothing the people say is going to bother me anymore. There is a slant where people are saying if we get something then we can go to the last game and qualify there.

“But why aren’t people saying if you win you’ve got four points? You’d really expect to beat Saudi Arabia who were beaten 8﷓0 and then hey, seven points, we’re through and we’ve won the group. That’s a great feeling rather than me saying if we don’t get anything, we can still get something against the Saudis if you don’t get three points against Germany?”

He admitted, however, that a draw would be entirely acceptable. “I’d take not being beaten again, absolutely. The Germans have had a great result.

“We have, under different circumstances, a different game against a team who I believe are as strong in different areas as are Germany.”