Iceland plan to attack

Gudjon Porbarson, Iceland's new manager, is promising a different matchplan but another day of disappointment for the Republic of Ireland in tomorrow's return World Cup game here.

Porbarson, who was appointed in July, said: "In Dublin last year we showed that we can defend under pressure. Now, we intend to prove that we can also play a bit at the other end of the pitch."

"Like a lot of Icelanders, I have good feelings for Ireland and would prefer to see them qualify for the World Cup finals rather than Macedonia. But, in saying that, I cannot promise them any favours on Saturday when our plan is to attack any time we get the opportunity.

"In Iceland, we watch a lot of British football on television and people here will be very familiar with players like Roy Keane, Andy Townsend and Jason McAteer." During Porbarson's term of office the Icelanders have beaten Liechtenstein and the Faroe Islands and lost 1-0 to Norway in a friendly. Ireland, he concedes, are in a different class to any of these teams but his plans still do not envisage defeat.

"Although we're out of contention in the World Cup we are now at an important stage in rebuilding the team - there is just no way that we can afford to lose at this time."