FIFA taking no chances with result

Wry smiles and a few knowing winks greeted the latest FIFA communique to arrive at the offices of the Football Association of Ireland in Dublin yesterday. It may require an unlikely permutation of results and a turn around of no fewer than 13 goals to deny the Republic of Ireland a place in the World Cup play-offs.

But the wise men of football's governing body have been long enough on the road to know that in sport, as in everything else, presumptions are dangerous.

As a consequence, the Macedonian FA has been instructed to bring forward the kick-off time of the Macedonia-Lithuania game in Skopje to coincide with the 3.0 p.m. kick-off in the meeting of the Republic of Ireland and Romania at Lansdowne Road.

That smacks of conservatism gone mad, for to regain second place in the Group Eight table Lithuania must win away from home, depend on Romania doing the same and then, most unlikely of all, make up a goal difference of 13 in the process.

Even Mick McCarthy, who doesn't throw off the shackles of caution too often, doesn't accept that as a realistic proposition and is already making arrangements on his availability for comment after the draw for the play-offs is made in Zurich on Monday afternoon.

Unfortunately, that confidence doesn't stretch to the point where he is prepared to go public with his team selection until shortly before kick-off. And beyond stating that he will announce a replacement captain for Andy Townsend today, he was unwilling to shed any further light on his thoughts.

The supposition is, however, that with Townsend and Roy Keane both unavailable and Steve Staunton likewise omitted, Ray Houghton will be assigned added responsibilities in a rebuilt midfield formation.

Houghton, the man of the match from an Irish perspective in the first meeting with Romania at Bucharest in April, was forced out of the two most recent games in Iceland and Lithuania with an injury. Now, after going to watch him in Reading's 4-0 win over Sunderland last Saturday, McCarthy has no doubts that the little man is once more "up for it".

"Ray still has a great appetite for the game and it rubs off on those around him," he said. "Last week, he looked as enthusiastic as ever and when you think of how long he's been in the game and all that he has seen, that is simply terrific."

It all suggests that Houghton will be asked to fill the link role between midfield and the front line, but other than that and the need to protect those players currently on yellow cards, there are few indications about the likely make-up of the team.

Among those with genuine hope of getting back into the starting line-up is Phil Babb of Liverpool, now experiencing an upturn in his fortunes at Anfield. And there could be recognition also for the Middlesbrough player Curtis Fleming, who has made just one appearance since last year's American tour.

Clonshaugh was again the venue for yesterday's training session - this morning's programme is being moved to Lansdowne Road - and it featured a return to the fold for the Motherwell forward, Tommy Coyne.

Coyne was sufficiently recovered from the disappointment of seeing his team lose to Kilmarnock on Wednesday to express delight about his first international call up since McCarthy's first game in charge, against Russia in March of last year.

David Kelly, suffering from a neck problem since his arrival in Dublin on Tuesday, trained yesterday to provide McCarthy with an additional front line option, but the speculation is that Coyne may still get a run.

Liam O'Brien also arrived in Dublin yesterday to join the depleted squad, but it is still not clear if the experienced Tranmere man fits into the manager's contingency plans in midfield.

The more likely scenario is that Lee Carsley, the Derby County newcomer, will be assigned the task of anchoring the midfield formation and that Jason McAteer will also have a key role to fill.

Ian Evans, the Ireland Under-21 manager, is hoping that his luck will change in the final qualifying game in the European Under-21 championship against Romania at United Park, Drogheda, this evening.All four of the defeats which have wrecked his hopes of leading the squad into the finals of the championship, were by a single goal margin.Typical was the 1-0 beating by Romania in Bucharest in April when in spite of setting up a couple of good chances, they failed to deliver in front of goal.