Stade and deliver
The Irish will be supported by upwards of 30,000 fans, buoyed by the prospect of an upset win to firmly point the way to the finals in Germany in 2006.
Never before has such a critical match been so replete with positive signs for the Irish. Bran Kerr has virtually a fully fit, eager squad to choose from while the French have to try and compensate for the absence of a clutch of magnificent stars and overcome the stinging criticism of their fans.
France will be represented by such formidable players as Henry, Pires, Wiltord, Barthez, Dacourt and Cisse. But missing are the most celebrated group of players ever to represent France and rumours of unhappiness within the camp are too persistent and too public not to carry some weight.
No team in international football has undergone such a dramatic transformation. Since Euro 2004, in Portugal, Thuram, Desailly, Zidane, Lizarazu, Makalele have retired, Patrick Vieira is suspended, the exciting Ludovic Giuly and experienced full-back Willy Sagnol are injured.
Manager Raymond Domenech took over as manager when Jacques Santini stepped down to take charge at Spurs and, despite 11 years of achievement with France’s underage teams, has not been universally welcomed.
“L’Equipe” - the French daily sports bible - has this week consistently criticised the team and their unconvincing performances in drawing in this campaign in Paris with Israel 0-0 and in struggling to beat Faroe Islands 2-0 away.
The of French team announcement yesterday only served to offer the critics more ammunition. Ireland will be challenged in central midfield by Dacourt - who would not figure in a full-strength team - and 20 year-old Antonio Mavuba of Bordeaux, who has had less than 90 minutes international football.
The belief amongst the visiting fans, at least, is that France are ripe for the picking. And, by any reckoning, Ireland must have an outstanding opportunity of achieving a result here that did not seem so attainable when the draw was made last December.
But within the Irish camp there are no rash predictions or of false notions. Manager Brian Kerr maintained his pragmatic, understated appraisal of the situation after yesterday’s training session at Stade de France.
“A good time to play France? ... I don’t know. Maybe the best time to play France is if they were out of the competition and we were still in the competition.
“It’s always a daunting enough task to come here and play against a team with such tradition and great technical ability and fabulous players. So I don’t know when the best time is, but you’ve got to do it now and we’re well prepared for it. We don’t fear them, we don’t fear anyone. We respect them all.”
Kerr, unlike the French, was more guarded than usual about his team selection. He was not prepared to allow any discussion yesterday on the possible shape of the Irish team and gave no clue as to how he intended to address outstanding issues.
Steve Finnan played left-back against Switzerland in Ireland’s last match, for instance, when John O’Shea was injured. Andy Reid started on the right of midfield but did not play well, Kevin Kilbane played well alongside Roy Keane but his distribution was careless, the twin strike force of Clinton Morrison and Robbie Keane operated only with limited success.
Kerr heaped praise on O’Shea’s performances in central midfield for Manchester United alongside Keane, and commended Finnan for his displays against Switzerland and on the right of midfield for Liverpool. But he was not prepared to discuss whether he intended to restore O’Shea to full-back or use him in central midfield.
Instead he spoke of the encouragement to the players that so many fans had travelled. “Currently there is an air of expectancy because of the way the team is playing.
“I think Ireland have played good football for a long number of years but I think there is a lot of hope about the current team and some of the results we’ve had and the way we’ve played.
“We’ve played well against Brazil, Romania, the Czech Republic, Holland and in the competitive games as well; the Cypriot match in Dublin, we played very well, the match away to Switzerland was mixed but I think Ireland have given a lot of people a lot of hope.”
He refused to be drawn into speculation that France are likely to be a weaker team than that which competed in the European Championship finals even, when they beat Switzerland and England, drew with Croatia and lost to the eventual champions, Greece.
He dismissed suggestions that Ireland’s prospects must be enhanced by the contrasting experiences of the two teams in recent times. “When the match starts psychological boosts will be out the window. It will be about whatever eleven they will have and how our eleven play in the game on the day.
“It is up to us to make sure we are ready for that to get the best possible performance from the eleven we have and that’s what we will be aiming to do.”
Kerr’s reputation will inevitably be affected hugely by the team’s experiences here. There is no denying the sense of fans’ expectations, but much will depend on how Kerr places his team and how the combination gels.
Encouragingly, Roy Keane, Robbie Keane, Damien Duff and Clinton Morrison have had more games in recent weeks than they had prior to the game against Switzerland.
I expect Kerr to play O’Shea at left-back, Finnan on the right of midfield to counter the threat of Henry, who likes to attack from that flank, and that he will retain Kilbane in central midfield and Morrison at centre-forward.
Ireland will need to play better than they did against Cyprus, where they wasted too many scoring opportunities, and Switzerland, where they created too few, if they are to succeed. But if they strike a good night they surely will overcome what can only be described as an experimental French team.
: Given; Carr, O’Brien, Cunningham, O’Shea; Finnan, Roy Keane, Kilbane, Duff; Morrison, Robbie Keane.
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