Loew keen to qualify now

There's a widespread fear in football of tempting fate but when Germany went to the United States for the World Cup back in 1994, they booked up their choice of Los Angeles' best hotels for the final. Well, better safe than sorry, as they say.

As it turned out, they needn't have bothered, for Bulgaria sent them home at the quarter-final stage. But Joachim Loew's same preoccupation with forward planning may, it seems, be bad news for Ireland at Croke Park tomorrow evening, with the German coach anxious to get started on the logistics of next year's finals by making certain of qualification at the earliest possible opportunity.

"Nobody can come and say to me that we have an eight-point advantage over Ireland and we will get through sooner or later," says Loew.

"Our aim is clearly to make sure we qualify right now in Ireland. We want the question of our qualification sorted out now so we can start making our plans for the finals."

Loew has plenty of leading players out but what he's left with looks an impressive enough array of talent from an Irish perspective and the coach says he is happy enough with his lot.

Central to the German game plan tomorrow evening will be Torsten Frings, the Werder Bremen midfielder who will captain his country at Croke Park. The 30-year-old has been out for a few weeks through injury but Loew insists he has no doubts regarding his inclusion.

"Torsten is missing match practice all right but to see the way he is motivated in training is a joy. That sort of attitude is a joy for us," said the 47-year-old.

"He has become an indispensable leading figure over the years," added the man who succeeded Jurgen Klinsmann after last summer's third-place finish at the World Cup finals.

Also looking certain to start is Jens Lehman, the Arsenal goalkeeper who has struggled with both injury and form in recent times.

"There is nothing standing between him and playing," said goalkeeping coach Andreas Kopke, a position that is clearly shared by his boss.

"Jens is our number one and I don't think there's any reason to question that as long as we're making the sort of progress we have in this qualifying campaign."

The side's performances in group matches has certainly been impressive, particularly on the road where only the Cypriots could hold them. "We've been good away from home," said Loew yesterday.

"We have learned how to react well to opponents and how to come to dominate games.

"At the moment we're strong but the real test is to prove our durability over the next few years."