O’Shea: Berbatov’s still hopeful Bulgaria can snatch second

DIMITAR BERBATOV still believes Bulgaria are in with a chance of pipping Ireland to second place in World Cup Group 8.

At least that’s what he has told his Manchester United team-mate John O’Shea, as both their countries prepare for penultimate qualifying games tonight.

In fact, it could be all over for Berbatov’s team even before Ireland take on Italy at Croke Park, since anything less than a victory in their away game against Cyprus – a match which kicks off two hours earlier – would finally end the Bulgarians’ slim hopes of travelling to South Africa.

“I told him to do us a favour the last time in Italy and he didn’t, so now he’s hoping for us to slip up this time,’’ O’Shea said. “Obviously they’re confident of winning their two games against Cyprus and Georgia but I told him to be careful against Cyprus, they can cause a surprise result now and again. But he thinks they still have a chance, we’ll wait and see.”

For his part, O’Shea insists that, whatever the outcome in Larnaca this evening, it will not impact on Ireland’s approach to the match against the world champions in Dublin.

“I don’t think that result will affect us,” he said. “You’ve got to think Bulgaria are going to win their two games, that’s the way we’re going to have to look at it. We’re going to hopefully get six points and wait and see for first place. Who knows what we need to guarantee second? “We’ll be going out to focus totally on Italy, knowing the big job that’s ahead of us to get three points against them. We’re going to have to play very well and if we do go one up against them, we’ll have to give an Italian-type performance, defending wise, to keep them out.”

One player the Irish defence will need to watch out for is another man with Old Trafford connections, Villarreal’s Giuseppe Rossi.

“He was so unlucky at our place, with the strikers we had at the club when he was coming through,” O’Shea noted. “The talent he did show is fantastic and what he’s doing now in La Liga, and the goals he’s scoring for Italy as well in the summer, they were spectacular and that’s the type of player he is. He’s a very, very talented lad. He’s tricky, a Zola type of player maybe. His ability is fantastic.”

While the other day saw the Irish squad playing a 12-a-side game in training, O’Shea reckons it’s the rather more familiar 12th man who could really make the difference tonight.

“If we get that first goal, the noise in Croke Park will be deafening, but look, it will be deafening too if Italy score because they’ll really be driving us on to get an equaliser,” said the Waterford man. “We’ll wait and see but I’d be happy if it was 0-0 – well, I’d be happier if it was 2-0 – going into the second half, and the crowd getting behind us.”

But, O’Shea reasons, Ireland are also entitled to confidently seek inspiration from within.

“We’ve a bit of belief there,” he said. “You’d like to think we would have that, being undefeated in the campaign and having scored some late goals.

“And, at the start of the group, if you were offered the play-offs with the chance of topping the group with two games to go, a lot of people would have taken it.”