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Tuesday, November 17, 2009
ANYONE still in denial as to the scale of the mountain Ireland must climb in Paris tomorrow night need only ask Damien Duff.
Professional footballers, like all sports people, have an understandable tendency to play down the size and significance of upcoming appointments.
‘Just another game’ is the usual phrase of choice. Not this time.
A win against Raymond Domenech’s side in the Stade de France tomorrow evening would outdo anything the Republic of Ireland’s football team has ever managed before in its 85 years of contesting international football.
"Without doubt," the Fulham winger agreed. "We have taken an awful lot of positives out of the game on Saturday. Other people may not have but we think we can go there and do it."
No doubt the spirit of Stuttgart and Giants Stadium will be invoked time and again between now and kick-off but even those two heroic victories, memorable though they may be, were achieved on neutral soil.
No matter how many Irish fans make their way into the ground in Saint-Denis – and it will certainly be significantly less than the estimated 20,000 that did so in 2004 – Ireland are seeking to conquer new territory.
As most people are all too aware by now, the last time the national football team defeated a highly ranked team in competitive football in their own back yard was in 1987 when Scotland were seen off 1-0 in Hampden Park thanks to Mark Lawrenson’s eighth minute goal.
Beyond that the cupboard is pretty threadbare. The only other scalp of note has been Czechoslovakia’s 20 years before when Ireland came from behind to beat their hosts 2-1 in Prague and deprive them of a place in the final stages of the 1968 Nations Cup.
After that? Well, there was a 2-0 win in Denmark in 1957 and a 3-1 victory away to Turkey in 1991 but both nations were minnows at the time and not the powers they would subsequently become.
Other than that? Nothing.
"We have obviously given ourselves an uphill task," said Duff. "Away goals are a massive thing in football but if we go over there and nick one it is game on again so we are all confident we can go and do it. You have to be."
That confidence is born from Saturday’s performance when, but for Patrice Evra’s toe or Hugo Lloris’ elbow, Giovanni Trapattoni’s men could well be travelling to Paris with a 1-1 draw to their credit.
Of course, France too had their chances to inflict further damage on Irish hopes – none better than Andre-Pierre’s failure when presented with an open goal – but Duff believes that Ireland deserved a draw.
"Definitely. Obviously they had an awful lot of possession. That was there for everyone to see. They keep the ball well, better than us, but when it came down to chances they didn’t really create a lot. We kept our shape, which is what we do an awful lot of work on. I suppose that is why we are in the play-offs. It has worked well for us in the past. A lucky goal … everyone says about the luck of the Irish but I don’t think we have really had much of it over the past few campaigns."
At 1-0 it is undoubtedly advantage France, but it is a tie that could yet provide some fireworks given the heated exchanges in the centre circle which followed the final whistle in Croke Park.
Duff, like the rest of the Irish camp, yesterday pleaded ignorance when quizzed on those events which are, in any case, an irrelevance given the bigger picture in this play-off.
A more important question is that of tactics and how Ireland will approach a game which they need to win but one where they face a side oozing with talent and aware that their away goal leaves them in the box seat.
"We obviously have to take a few more chances than we usually do,’’ Duff said. "It is tried and trusted with the gaffer and the shape. It’s the same at club level with me. It must be the Italian thing with Roy Hodgson working over there as well.
"We’ll see how the game pans out but we are obviously looking for a goal, or two, or three. We will have to take a few more chances."
An early Irish goal would make for an interesting evening but should the French double their advantage it would leave Ireland having to score two and needing to avoid a third breach at their own end.
"It’s not the end of the world (if France score)," said Duff. "One goal and it’s a draw so we are looking for two or even three. So, even if they score another one and we win 2-1 we are through.
"If they score again, even if we don’t want them to, it is still game on."
Here again history stands against them.
The last time Ireland scored twice away from home against one of Europe’s power houses was in Moscow in 2002 in a European Championship qualifier and they conceded four times that same day.
Everest awaits.
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