High hopes hard to contain

SOCCER: Such was the number of Irish supporters arriving in the French capital yesterday ahead of tonight's World Cup qualifier that as the day wore on the major points of entry to the city gradually started to resemble a sort of modern-day Ellis Island.

The actual number of visiting fans inside the Stade de France still won't be known until kick-off. But it seems safe to suggest that if the final whistle this evening marks the Irish team's emergence from their toughest assignment of the current qualifying campaign with a point, or even three, those of you still back at home should press the "Mute" button and listen for the sound of a major celebration getting under way far to the south-east.

Although the French, after a shaky start, are trying to make it to a World Cup finals by way of the qualifiers for the first time since 1986, Ireland's record of just one draw in four visits to Paris for matches in this competition provides no great cause for confidence. And there is certainly plenty of quality, particularly in attack, in the side Raymond Domenech will field this evening.

There is, however, still a good deal to be cautiously optimistic about in relation to a French team that is missing 12 players, includes two centre halves with just six caps between them, and contains three players - William Gallas, Mikael Silvestre and Sylvain Wiltord - who are unhappy about being played, as they see it, out of position.

By contrast, Kerr finds himself in a position of surprising strength for an Ireland manager. All but one of his first-choice squad have travelled, and his team will probably be made up entirely of Premiership players, all but one of whom have been playing, and playing well, for their clubs in recent weeks.

Just as the visiting fans are upbeat, pessimism is rampant among the locals. But there was no talk from Kerr yesterday, as there had been prior to last month's game in Basel, of the Republic going out to win.

The reality against the Swiss proved rather different, even if the approach proved effective as the Irish emerged with a draw they deserved after smothering their hosts in the final third of the pitch.

If they could do the same tonight they would surely be well satisfied with the achievement.

In Basel, Andy Reid looked ill-suited to the task required of him and it seems likely he will be the main victim as Kerr looks to strike the right balance between challenging and containing the French.

Kenny Cunningham and Damien Duff missed part of yesterday's final training session, but the manager said everyone, Matt Holland included, is fully fit to start. The fact is, though, that Holland, even by his admission yesterday, is terribly short of competitive match practice and looks destined to miss out.

In effect, only three places - left-back, the second central-midfield slot and the one on the right side of midfield - look to be up for grabs, and Kerr's decision in each instance will influence his decisions in the others.

John O'Shea and Steve Finnan look certain to play, and if the Manchester United player reclaims his number three shirt then the Limerickman will start on the right side of midfield with Kevin Kilbane likely to retain his place in the centre ahead of Holland and Graham Kavanagh.

If Kerr opts to start O'Shea alongside Roy Keane, as he has hinted more than once he might do, then Finnan is almost certain to play on the left side of the defence, leaving the manager with a vacancy to fill on the right, where Liam Miller or Holland could be the beneficiary.

The former option seems just about the more likely, not only because Thierry Henry's fondness for wandering out to the left makes the selection of a player of Finnan's defensive capabilities there advisable, but also because O'Shea is still getting to grips with his newer midfield role.

In the end, much may come down again, as it did in Basel, to the form of Shay Given, particularly if the French are chasing the win they need late on to put a bit a shine back on their status as favourites to win this qualification group.

Given is no stranger to the challenges Henry presents for an opposing side, and when asked how he had fared against the striker at club level he laughed and conceded, "He's scored a few all right (the Frenchman's record against the Newcastle United goalkeeper is four in seven games), but then I don't think there's too many around who could say he hasn't scored against them."

Their last meeting ended with the Donegalman coming out on top as the two clubs played out a scoreless draw.

Of course, with Given's wife expecting their first baby over the next couple of the weeks the 28-year-old has a little more than football on his mind right now.

"Obviously it's a very exciting time for us," he said, clearly pleased as punch about the situation if a little uncomfortable about being away from home just now.

"It's not the best," he admitted, "but hopefully she'll manage to keep her legs crossed for the next couple of days."

A mixture of awkward and bemused laughter followed and Given quickly reconsidered the wisdom of the remark.

"Ehhhh . . . maybe you wouldn't quote me on that lads?" he asked through a slightly nervous smile as the television cameras rolled and the recorders quietly whirred. With so many witnesses he can hardly have thought that half-hearted appeal was going to get him out of jail. As he knows well from his previous encounters with Henry, after all, you make a mistake in his line of work and you get punished.

France, for all their problems, should certainly be good enough to capitalise on any serious errors or poor performances by the Irish. And yet the feeling persists that there won't be a better time for an Irish side to come to Paris and leave again with a spring in their step.

IRELAND (probable): Given (Newcastle United); Carr (Newcastle United), Cunningham (Birmingham City), O'Brien (Newcastle United), O'Shea (Manchester United); Finnan (Liverpool), Keane (Manchester United), Kilbane (Everton), Duff (Chelsea); Keane (Tottenham Hotspur), Morrison (Birmingham City).

FRANCE: Barthez (Marseille); Gallas (Chelsea), Squillaci (Monaco), Givet (Monaco), Silvestre (Manchester United); Wiltord (Lyon), Mavuba (Bordeaux), Dacourt (Roma), Pires (Arsenal); Cisse (Liverpool), Henry (Arsenal).