Harte still pumping strongly

Of all Mick McCarthy's managerial virtues, the most constant has been the stubborn faith he placed in the youngsters around whom he has rebuilt the international team. Ian Harte well remembers those fraught early days, when the soccer fraternity, still suffering from the post-Charlton blues, warily attacked McCarthy's ideology and didn't really care who suffered in the crossfire.

Harte remembers because when selected at centre half he was one of the exposed. "It was a hard time for Mick and for myself too," the Leeds defender reflects now.

"People were saying that I wasn't playing regularly for my club and that I wasn't even playing in my proper position. But the reality was that when Mick told me I would be playing for my country, well, I would have gladly played in goal. I knew I wasn't really a centre half but all I could do was my best. Fortunately, we have quality centre halves that have come through since and that has allowed me to go back to the left which I prefer."

The Dundalk man has become one of the most reassuring presence in the Ireland squad; a player who has developed under an astute manager.

Now with the buzz back in Irish soccer again, Harte has stepped from the shadows and speaks eloquently of why his generation is so eager to return the manager's initial trust.

"He is just brilliant, you know, he is so enthusiastic and young also, like ourselves so we get on well. But when he first brought us in, we weren't playing well and he could have just decided to bring back some of the older lads. But he stuck by us and we really want to repay him."

Ireland's last two traumatic play-off dramas against Belgium and Turkey still loom large in the McCarthy era but so polished has the team's ascent through a treacherous group campaign that optimism is at its highest since 1993 when the team last qualified for a major tournament. It is a strange climax - in November, in the sleet, against Iran - but the feel good factor has returned.

"Losing those play-offs was just the most horrible feeling. I still remember sitting there in the dressing room. Hopefully this time it will be the opposite, after we beat them over there. No drink, though - we'll have to try and sneak a few in."

Harte has already spoken to his Australian colleague, Harry Kewell, about his experiences against Iran and is well versed in what lies ahead. "Yeah, he especially spoke about the away leg, about how he has never encountered anything like it before.

"Iran are one of the best sides from the Asian groups and have highly regarded players like Ali Daei. But six o'clock on a freezing night in Lansdowne is something they won't be used to either. And I hope they do come at us because we play attractive football now on the break. The days of lamping it up to Quinny and Cas are over. With Roy (Keane) fit, hopefully, he will open it up for our forwards."

True to his position, Harte identifies sound defence as the key to tomorrow's game. A clean sheet, he says, is the key.

Ireland has shown its ability to score away from home. But after Holland and Cyprus, the Lansdowne roar will be expectant. Especially when Harte, in venomous form with Leeds, steps up for one of his long-range frees.

"I took the wall out at training the other day, just to practice and, well, ... crap. Just doesn't happen like that. It's a spontaneous thing - the ball is there, the crowd, you have one chance. In practice you have another 100 balls beside you.

"You see Beckham and Rivaldo of Barcelona, free-takers like that and it's where you want to be."