Kerr still fears French
The retirement of outstanding players like Zidane, Thuram, Lizarazu, Desailly, Makelele, the suspension of Patrick Vieira and injury to David Trezeguet have sent Irish hopes skyrocketing.
France were certainties to qualify from this group when the draw was made in Frankfurt in December; now they are viewed as vulnerable, some would say ripe for picking.
As a result more than 25,000 Irish fans will raise the roof in Stade de France ahead of a match that offers tantalising possibilities.
Kerr acknowledged the swing in perception that has been facilitated also by France’s disappointing Euro 2004 performances and in their two World Cup qualifying ties thus far.
But he suggested the brimming public excitement was not only unjustified, it had not penetrated to his training camp in Malahide.
“If you look at the possible French team, they could still have seven of the team that played against Croatia in the second match of the European finals. If you look at a team that has, maybe, Barthez, Gallas, Silvestre, Dacourt, Henry, Wiltord, Pires ... they’re not bad, are they?
“Whatever players they put in, you know they’ve got top-class players ... every player they have is playing in the Champions League or has been a part of their success in the World Cup and European Championships of recent years.
“The fact that some fellows have retired ... there are advantages and disadvantages in that from our point of view. They will not have been helped by the loss of the strength that the likes of Zidane gave them, and their full- backs and Makelele.
“But on the other side you have got these other players who’ve been waiting on their chances, who’ve shown they are good enough with their clubs, with Monaco who got to the final of the Champions League last season with lots of French players.
“I’m sure a lot of those players were sitting around waiting on their chances to come in and show they are good enough for France. And they are not youngsters who are 19 and 20 years old. With the exception of Mavuba (20), they are not young players, they are experienced and capable from playing top-class competition with their clubs.”
Kerr is too canny a manager to allow the growing sense of anticipation surrounding the Irish team to rob him of his objective assessment of the extent of the challenge Ireland face.
He is too experienced to even countenance overstating Ireland’s prospects.
In consequence he took a lighthearted view of the absence from the French squad of the suspended Arsenal star Patrick Vieira.
He said: “I wasn’t disappointed when I heard Vieira was suspended. I wasn’t going to have a written appeal to FIFA on his behalf or anything but when you can bring back a player like Dacourt, who is playing with Roma, you realise they have good players coming in.”
Robbie Keane played with Dacourt at Leeds United and he described him as “a fabulous player” and Kerr also offered his assessment.
“One of the two matches I saw France play last season was in Basel. I went really to see Switzerland and in central midfield were Vieira and Dacourt and they dominated the game. They were completely on top and Dacourt was part of the European finals team, so I think they have got plenty of players available.”
Kerr was in the happy position of being able to report a squad in which all but centre-back Richard Dunne are fit and raring to go. Dunne is struggling with a muscle injury but with Ireland due to play Faroe Islands four days after playing France, he will continue to work on his fitness from within the squad.
France will offer Ireland an introduction to some new players after the departure of so many of their World Cup winners of 1998 and the European winners of 2000.
A game in this magnificent stadium against a talented French side represents a huge challenge for Ireland and its attractions do not need embellishment here.
Kerr said: “I went to the match between France and Brazil, as part of FIFA’s Centenary celebrations, and I came to appreciate just what lies ahead for us.
“It’s a great place, it was a great occasion, and I actually felt a little bit emotional about it because I thought the next time I would be there would be with Ireland and we were going to be playing.
“I think the players understand that and the significance of it. They’ve played on big stages, they’ve had big times and big days and European matches and World Cup finals and all of that, but playing at the Stade de France is still a massive occasion for them all.”
Ireland will welcome goalkeeper Shay Given to their squad when they travel to Paris today.
He was allowed to stay at home an extra two days because his wife is expecting their first child.
After a training session in the Stade de France tomorrow, Ireland will wait for the opportunity to measure the strength of their World Cup challenge against France’s emerging young team on Saturday.
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