Ireland won’t hold back in Tel Aviv, says Kerr

SATURDAY, March 26 could prove to be a pivotal date in Group 4 of the 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign.

That's according to Republic of Ireland manager Brian Kerr who yesterday named a 23 man squad for the game against Israel on that day, and the friendly against China at Lansdowne Road the following Tuesday.

"With France playing Switzerland and our game in Israel, it's going to be a very important day," said Kerr. "But, no matter what happens on Saturday week, there'll be a few twists and turns before the end of the group. We'll only be half-way through the campaign and there will still be a lot of points to play for and a lot of results that are going to be crucial to the group. But there is no doubt that it's a very important day with the top four teams involved."

Kerr suggested that he would retain a 4-4-2 line-up for a game in which victory could put Ireland in the driving seat in the group.

"Our approach has always been that we've gone out to win every game whether home or away," he said. "Our philosophy in terms of going for it has been good. We haven't played in any way negatively although we've been forced back at times.

"As the group has been shaping up, probably the best points gained have been Israel's in Paris and our point in Paris. But unless you do your stuff in your home matches, there's not much of an advantage gained in getting those points. But a team that wins away matches will probably have more impact on the group."

Would he be disappointed with a draw in Tel Aviv?

"I'm rarely disappointed if you draw away and win at home. Most league tables are won by teams that can win at home and draw away and sometimes win away as well. Again, our approach will be to have a go at Israel. We don't have any sense of sitting back and trying to play on the break. I don't think we're comfortable with that style, I think we've moved on a bit. "In the past, with various teams we've had, that has been the approach away from home playing with one upfront. With the current balance of this team that doesn't suit us. We've got good attacking players but no great physical strength and it suits us better to use the passing players we have to move the ball around quickly. Of course we've got to defend and if forced to we will, but the approach will be to have a go."

And Kerr expects Ireland will have no little defending to do in Israel, citing the home team's attacking threat as their greatest strength.

"It will be a vital week for them with the two home games against ourselves and France," he pointed out. "They have only one home game after that and three away so there's a fair bit of pressure on them to get points. But they're playing well, they're technically very good, capable of making chances, very dangerous on the break and well organised. They have very good attacking players and I think that's where their strength lies. The fact that so many of their players are based in Israel is in some ways an advantage to them in that they can have regular training sessions and get-togethers which we can't do."

On the security issues surrounding the trip to the Middle East, Kerr indicated that he had no worries.

"I think there would be more people killed in the main cities of Ireland on most weekends than there would be in Israel and Tel Aviv in particular. Obviously our supporters have to be sensible about the places they go to but I think that applies in any country. I've been in Israel with various teams on three occasions and we were treated with great respect and there was no sense of threat around the place. "Equally the people who have gone there to watch matches for me more recently have come back with excellent reports about the place. Their opinion of Tel Aviv was that it was typical of a modern European city, full of life and booming.

"We feel that all the issues of security and safety have been fully dealt with and we have no fears whatsoever. If we had any concerns we wouldn't be going as early as Wedneday. We're quite happy."

Kerr has opted for experience in choosing his squad, with Roy Keane and Stephen Carr returning after missing the friendly against Portugal.

Jonathan Macken, Alan Lee and Graham Barrett drop out while Aiden McGeady will travel to Israel with the U-21s, Kerr saying that it was never his intention to play the young Celtic star "in a match like this at this stage of his development."

However, depending on the availability of players this time next week when the squad assembles in Dublin, Kerr has a number of alternatives on standby, including the likes of Stephen Reid and Rory Delap who have both impressed him recently at club level. Kerr also suggested that a number of U-21 players, including McGeady, could be in contention for the China match, depending on how the senior personnel come through their testing assignment in Tel Aviv.