Walking on Herr

GERMAN team manager Oliver Bierhoff has given Steve Staunton his stamp of approval by claiming the Irish manager has earned the right to guide his country through the 2010 World Cup qualifiers.

The present campaign has thrown up more highs and lows than an Alpine ski resort for the Irish side and though Austria and Switzerland are now out of sight, they managed some measure of consistency in their dealings with the group favourites.

Only a deflected free-kick deprived Staunton of a point in Stuttgart in what was his first competitive match in charge and the Louth man’s side were full value for their point on Saturday night.

“Ireland did okay so you have to give him some time and another chance for World Cup qualification,” said Bierhoff. “I don’t know all the players but sometimes it is not so easy. He started with some difficulties but in the last few games he has come out very well.

“Ireland were aggressive, they played well. It was nothing special but they have a good atmosphere in the team so they work together. They don’t have single players like Roy Keane but it is a good group.”

So too do the Germans who, lest we forget, were handicapped by injuries for both the first game at home last September and the latest contest at Croke Park.

Eleven months ago it was a defensive crisis they faced with stalwarts like Christopher Metzelder and Per Mertesacker sitting it out. This time, it was their midfield that was hit hardest, Michael Ballack, Bernd Schneider and Tim Borowski being amongst the absentees.

That they still became the first team to qualify for the 2008 finals speaks volumes for the strength in depth of the group leaders who must be ranked as early favourites to claim the title next summer.

“We are very happy with how the team performed throughout this qualification and in what was in a very difficult match,” said Bierhoff. “Ireland played very well in what was a good atmosphere .

“We knew about Ireland, we knew that they are a better side than Wales, and sometimes England, plus our team hadn’t played this formation before and some players came in because of injuries.

“We weren’t as close to the Irish players as we would have liked to have been. Sometimes we gave them too much space but we knew that they had some good players and they showed that.”

Needing just the point in Dublin to qualify, Germany spoke all week of their determination to claim a win but they showed long before the 90th minute that their focus was on long-term aims instead of such a short-term goal.

“That was hard work. We kept at it, which was very good and it makes me proud to think that this is the quickest we have ever qualified. Qualification was all that counted,” said captain Torsten Frings.

“We proved again, how close we are as a team on the pitch, even if some people were missing,” added Mertesacker. “We fought for the point we needed and, even though it finished 0-0, it was worth seeing.”

Jens Lehmann believes Germany will have to step up a gear if they are to make an impact at next summer’s Euro 2008 finals.

“We went into the game expecting to win, but the Irish were good, organised, pacey in the first half, although they did drop off in the second.

“But the fact we claimed a good draw with several inexperienced players in the side is good for the team and the future. However, we are always expected to qualify, and right now we know we have to improve.”

Lehmann will miss Wednesday’s match against the Czech Republic in Munich through suspension after collecting his second booking of the tournament.

Valencia’s Timo Hildebrand will step in for a game that will guarantee Germany top spot in the group, provided they emerge victorious.