The French football team’s visit to Lansdowne Road on September 7th is the most eagerly-awaited international match on these shores for quite some time. Ireland’s qualifying group for Euro 2004 failed to provide much excitement for our fervent home support: listless non-events against Russia and Switzerland were only marginally bettered by functional victories over Albania and Georgia.
Having endured these flaccid encounters, Ireland’s supporters should be even more excited about the visit of France – a nation that won both the 1998 World Cup and the 2000 European Championship. To make things even more interesting, this qualifying group for the 2006 World Cup could hardly be tighter. The top four teams (Ireland, Switzerland, Israel and France) have drawn on every occasion that they’ve met each other, and all of them have managed to collect maximum points in their meetings with the group’s two whipping boys: Cyprus and the Faroe Islands.
The excitement surrounding this fixture has been heightened by the coming out of retirement of three of France’s most celebrated players. Juventus defender Lilian Thuram and Chelsea’s holding midfielder Claude Makelele, despite both being over the age of 30, remain formidable talents. Most important of all, from France’s perspective, is former World Player Of The Year Zinedine Zidane. Although he, too, is entering his footballing twilight years, his magisterial comeback performance in the recent 3-0 friendly victory over the Ivory Coast proved that he has lost none of his lustre.
The return of these three major players has been greeted with a certain level of unease in Ireland, but definitely not to the extent that supporters have lost hope. In some ways, it’s a compliment to Ireland, although one we could happily live without. Some point out that France’s star began to wane at the 2002 World Cup – before these players curtailed their international careers. Aslan singer and keen football fan Christy Dignam is sceptical about the impact these returning heroes will have.
“I think the three lads are coming back in because they’re panicking,” he proffers. “France are a bit like Chelsea at the moment – they have lots of great players, but they’re not gelling as well as they should be.”
Today FM DJ and Something Happens man Tom Dunne is more apprehensive about this new development, but still refuses to write off Ireland’s chances.
“France are very strong,” he admits. “The players that have come out of retirement are the core of the team that won the 1998 World Cup. But, it’s also the same French team that flopped in the last World Cup, and those three players retired for a reason. At Landsdowne, we can beat anyone.”
France come to Dublin with superior playing resources, but Ireland’s supposedly inferior talents earned a thoroughly deserved 0-0 draw when the teams last met in Paris during Autumn 2004. How can we hope to recreate such a feat or, for that matter, better it? U2 soundman Joe O’Herlihy emphasises the importance of the psychological battle that will be waged prior to kick-off.
“France have tried to hoodwink everyone with Zidane, Thuram and Makelele coming out of retirement,” he states. “Our biggest threat will be our mental strength, and having the steel to overcome what the media will inevitably turn the match into. I do think we have a good attitude, which has been missing in our game in the past. We would go so far, and yet so near, and end up packing our suitcases to head home early.”
Those sentiments are echoed by singer George Murphy, who feels that mental weakness has undone Ireland’s football teams in the past.
“Coming up against big names is what frightens a lot of people,” he reflects. “I don’t think that Ireland should back off them, and give them too much respect. That’s been Ireland’s mistake over the last number of years when they’ve come up against teams that they could have beaten.”
This fixture will throw up a number of interesting psychological battles, but none more so than in central midfield where long-term rivals Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira will butt heads once again. This clash of strong football minds will be given added spice (not that it usually needs it) by the fact that it may be the last time the two encounter each other. Patrick Vieira’s summer switch from Arsenal to Juventus, combined with the probability that Keane’s retirement will come sooner rather than later, means that there is only a slim possibility they'll meet again at club level. Ireland’s supporters are in no doubt about who will come out on top in this particular battle, particularly since the volatile pair’s pre-match clash in the tunnel at last season’s Arsenal v Manchester United fixture.
“Keane has the psychological edge, since the Highbury tunnel incident,” maintains Rory Doyle, drummer with Irish rockers The Walls. “That game was won in the tunnel, and psychologically Keane destroyed him. Roy’s not the player he once was in terms of fitness, but he’s amazing at organising. When he’s on the pitch, he’s telling his fellow players to take up positions. That will be crucial against France.”
Tom Dunne is similarly upbeat about Keane’s chances of outclassing his old foe.
“There’s only one winner in that clash,” he states. “Ever since the tunnel incident, we know who wears the trousers in that relationship.”
Indeed, for all the talk of Keane’s decline, when Ireland’s supporters are asked to name their nation’s key performer, he’s cited time and time again. 2FM’s Nikki Hayes is one of those voicing her admiration for the captain.
“He was a big loss to the team when he left, so I’m definitely glad to see him back,” she enthuses. “He’s one of my all-time favourites. I used to go around with the Number 16 Manchester United jersey during my teens.”
Celebrated Irish artist Jim Fitzpatrick is sceptical about the team’s ability to perform without Keane, saying that, “If Roy’s playing, then I think we can win. If he isn’t, I wouldn’t give us much of a chance. The midfield was overrun against Italy (in Keane’s absence), and absolutely flat.”
However, there is still some lingering resentment over Keane’s 2002 World Cup walk-out. When asked about the former captain’s importance to the team, Sunday World columnist Amanda Brunker baldly states: “He shouldn’t have left in the first place.”
Regardless, Roy Keane remains Ireland’s most likely hero, although we certainly have at least one other player who can claim to be world-class – Damien Duff. A key component of Chelsea’s Premiership-winning team, he is the only member of the current squad who looks capable of replacing Keane as a regular match-winner. George Murphy is one of many to sing the dazzling winger’s praises:
“I was watching Duff against Italy, and the way he was going at their defence was unbelievable,” he avers. “France have called back some players, but they won’t have legs as fresh as Damien Duff’s. He can go at any defence in the world.”
Jim Fitzpatrick draws a parallel between Duffer and another Irish footballing legend whose boots he may go on to fill.
“I remember many years ago, when Ireland played against France, we didn’t have such a great team,’ he recalls. “Liam Brady scored a beautiful goal that won us the game. It was a piece of individual brilliance, and now we have Damien Duff who can do the same thing. We need that little bit of genius to break through.”
Another player who looks set to be a national favourite in years to come is Tottenham winger Andy Reid. Since arriving at the London club, after making his name at Nottingham Forest, he’s earned a regular place in the team, despite stiff competition. He’s not yet a fixture in Ireland’s starting 11, though. Kerr often favours Steve Finnan at right-wing, with Stephen Carr behind him at right-full. This system provides greater defensive solidity, but lacks the flair that Reid brings to the team. Ireland’s supporters would appear to favour the Tottenham star's inclusion.
“I like the look of Andy Reid, because he gives us a lot of width,” states Joe O’Herlihy. “He came good towards the end of last season, and we will probably see a lot more of him. I’m not saying Steve Finnan isn’t a quality player, but the guy in possession of a bit more style would be my choice.”
However, Kila’s Colm O Snodaigh suggests that Kerr may not risk the Tottenham youngster in such an important game.
“I like Reid, but I think Kerr will give Finnan the nod at right wing ahead of him,” he explains. “He’s more defensive, and that’s the way Kerr likes it.”
Indeed, Kerr has taken criticism from some media sources for being excessively cautious. The manner in which Ireland surrendered leads in their two matches against Israel was, in the opinion of some, down to the manager’s unwillingness to take risks. However, he appears to still have a strong groundswell of support from the Irish footballing public.
“He’s doing a good job, and he’s a decent bloke," Christy Dignam reflects. “His having managed Keane and Duff at youth level is paying dividends now. I don’t think he should be judged yet, he hasn’t been given a chance.”
Amanda Brunker is also positive about Ireland’s head coach:
“It was never going to be easy coming in on the back of Mick McCarthy, and everybody still holds Jack Charlton in high regard. He’s a nice guy, he worked wonders with the Under 21’s, so I don’t see why he shouldn’t do well with the big boys. I don’t think he’s had as much to work with as he would have liked.”
Opinions on the overall standard of Ireland’s playing resources remain split down the middle. Colm O Snodaigh supports Amanda Brunker’s belief that our squad is technically limited, saying: “It’s not the most gifted set of players we’ve had, less than 20 of them are playing in the Premiership.”
However, others believe that we have the technical capacity to achieve something special.
“France have an amazing line-up, but on the other hand, we have amazing players as well, like Damien Duff and Robbie Keane,” Dave Fanning reasons. “If we play as well at the back as we’re capable of, we can win.”
Of all the players in the Irish squad, few seem to polarise opinion as strongly as Clinton Morrison. The striker has failed to cut it in the Premiership with Birmingham, his seasonal goal tally never getting into double figures during three years at the club. His Irish form has been better, though, and he has already netted three important strikes in this qualifying campaign.
“I have no complaints about his form for Ireland,” Rory Keane says. “He’s done quite a good job, and for a small centre forward, he’s actually quite good at holding the ball up. He does cause problems.”
Tom Dunne believes that Ireland’s striking partnership will benefit from their recent problems at club level. Aside from Morrison’s aforementioned woes, Robbie Keane’s first-team chances at Tottenham have been limited, as he vies for a starting place with three other established forwards.
“The two of them play better for Ireland than they do for their clubs,” he points out. “They’ve both scored goals, and I wouldn’t bet against them scoring more. At this moment, they’re actually under more pressure with their clubs than they have been before. So, they know that if they do well, they might get the move they want.”
The pair will not get a better stage to showcase their skills than this. Ireland’s margin for error is slim, particularly given the obvious technical strengths of the French team. A defeat would leave us little realistic chance of qualification. A draw would give us a chance of securing a play-off spot, or even gaining automatic qualification by topping the group. Should we be satisfied with such a result? The fans would appear to think not.
“Gone are the days when people say ‘Ireland got a draw, but they put up a great fight and had great heart’,” asserts Christy Dignam. “That’s all bollocks. We have a team that can compete on any level, and we should expect it. With the support we give the team, we deserve good results.”
Joe O’Herlihy is similarly hostile to the suggestion that we should be content with a share of the points.
“The difficulty of settling for a draw, is that it breeds a particular state of mind,” he explains. “I think we have to go into the game with a perfect vision of three points.”
Regardless of whether we achieve victory against the French, anything less than qualification for the 2006 World Cup will be seen as a bitter disappointment. Amanda Brunker echoes the feelings of a nation when she says: “Oh God, we bloody better qualify! We don’t seem to be qualifying for anything else, like the Eurovision for instance. We have to start doing well on the world stage again - it’s great morale for the country when we do. Let’s hope that Robbie Keane has reason to do a few somersaults!”
Amen to that.