Campaign opens with a must-win encounter

GROUP EIGHT GEORGIA V REPUBLIC OF IRELAND:THE EVENT might be little more than an attempt by the locals to prove there they produce more than the now fabulously unfashionable Blue Nun, but in these parts at least Mainz's wine festival is overshadowing the start of Ireland's latest World Cup campaign.

Half a million people are expected to be out on the streets of the German city celebrating and consuming the produce of the local vineyards.

As of last night, meanwhile, just 3,000 (two-thirds of them Irish) had paid to attend this evening's qualifying game between Georgia and the Republic of Ireland and, come kick-off, the attendance at the Bruchweg isn't expected to be any more than twice that number.

It's all a bit grim for the Georgians, and, if the "host" team didn't have enough problems, it seemed yesterday that the seniors had had their limelight stolen by the country's under-21s. As luck would have it, they were playing Russia in Minsk, where they lost 4-0, and the event doesn't seem to have been unconnected with the fact that not one Georgian journalist had travelled in time to watch Hector Cuper's men be put through their paces for the last time ahead of this evening's game.

The Argentinian was philosophical about having to take his side to a neutral venue, but maintained the game could have been played without risk in Tbilisi, before noting coolly that the other parties (Fifa and the FAI) had behaved in a way to suit their interests.

"But the decision was made and we can't cry about it now," he said. "What we would very much like to do is to bring some happiness to a people who have suffered a great deal. It's a pity, because the support of the local population would have been important to us, but I believe in the team and we have to keep believing in them."

Neither Cuper nor the representatives of his employers who attended yesterday morning's session seemed awestruck by the prospect of playing Ireland, but the coach was quick to pay tribute to his opposite number, an old sparring partner from the Champions League and Serie A.

"The first thing I can say is that the Irish have a head coach with huge experience," he said. "He's a man who has achieved a lot of success in his career. He pays a great deal of attention to the details that make up the game of football.

"His team consists of good players from some very big clubs," he continued. "They pass and play the ball forward well. They are a very fast side. But Georgia will play a very good game and," he concluded, "we will have our chances to win."

They might, but the team's recent form on the road would suggest they won't take them: Georgia have won just won and drawn another of their last 16 competitive games on foreign soil.

For good measure, they have also lost both of their games here in Germany, although it's probably fair to point out that in both of those they were beaten by the Germans.

Still, Cuper has some promising young talent at his disposal - even if the likes of Schalke's Levan Kenia and Empoli's Levan Mchedlidze, 17 and 18 respectively, see precious little daylight at their clubs. And several of the stars who missed last month's friendly win in Wales are available to him for the first time since he took on a job that, for all its difficulties, is pretty well resourced.

Under their new manager, Ireland's performances have been patchy. Against Serbia they looked subdued but solid, while a few days later in London they struggled to cope with a Colombia team that packed central midfield and so utterly swamped Glenn Whelan and Liam Miller.

That the Irish never really adapted to the defensive challenge at Craven Cottage is a concern, as is the fact that, in attack, the wingers Trapattoni has placed his faith in have not produced the goods.

A big performance from Aiden McGeady in a meaningful international is overdue and would be particularly welcome. Stephen Hunt, meanwhile, will presumably be anxious to show on this, just his second competitive start, he can become a consistent and valuable contributor to the cause.

Anxious to avoid defeat in his first competitive game in charge, Trapattoni will look to him to provide defensive cover while also aiming to get forward when the opportunity arises. The wingers need to start showing an ability to get to the line and provide decent crosses, especially if Kevin Doyle is to be allowed play to his strengths.

In central midfield we will see how Whelan stands up to the test of replacing Lee Carsley, while at the back it would be welcome to see Ireland's defenders stay firmly focused from beginning to end.

Far too often in recent years the Irish have made presents of points to opponents. Beating Italy next year may require something approaching a miracle, while taking the points required against Bulgaria to make second place a realistic prospect will not be easy.

But none of that will matter much if this Irish team does not start winning games like tonight's.

The change of venue has added to the sense that this is a game they need to win. But at the very least there must, by the final whistle, be a sense that some semblance of order has been restored and that the team are, as the FAI likes to say, "going forward" again.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND:Given (Newcastle United); Finnan (Espanyol), O'Shea (Manchester United), Dunne (Manchester City), Kilbane (Wigan Athletic); Hunt (Reading), Whelan (Stoke City), S Reid (Blackburn Rovers), McGeady (Celtic); Doyle (Reading), Keane (Liverpool).

GEORGIA (probable):Makaridze (Dinamo Tbilisi); Salukvadze (Rubin Kazan), Kaladze (Milan), Khizanishvili (Blackburn Rovers), Eliava (Sturm Graz); Mentesashvili (Ventspils), Kenia (Schalke 04), Kobiashvili (Schalke 04), Siradze (Spartak Nalchik); Iashvili (Karlsruhe), Mchedlidze (Empoli).

Referee:Zsolt Szabo (Hungary).