Holland: Keane and Vieira hold the key
From icons.com:
MATT HOLLAND explains why he thinks the battle between Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira holds the key to the Republic of Ireland's clash with France this week.
Our World Cup group looked very difficult before it started, but now, as we approach the climax, it looks even more difficult. There's very little to choose between ourselves, France, Israel and Switzerland. We've still got two of those sides to play at home which is obviously an advantage, then Cyprus away, so I think we're in a good position to get the job done and get to the World Cup.
Wednesday's match against France has been compared to our World Cup game against Holland in 2001, which was basically win or bust. If we hadn't won, it would have been very difficult for us to qualify. We knocked Holland out of the World Cup back then, and this match against France could also go a long way to deciding who qualifies for this World Cup. Whoever wins will be in a very strong position, and the losers will find themselves in a very difficult situation. It's very much a do-or-die game.
Roy Keane has been excellent since he came back for Ireland and everyone knows just how good Patrick Vieira is.
The nation's expectations are on our shoulders but I wouldn't call it a burden. I think the Irish fans are fantastic and they always support you through thick and thin. They're desperate for us to qualify and we're equally desperate to get there. If we can give our all, that's all the Irish fans ask, and hopefully our all will be enough.
Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira will do battle again, and both are world-class players who've played at the highest level for a long period. They've had a healthy rivalry over the last decade in English football and I think their clash will probably have a big bearing on the game, as they're both very influential to their sides.
Roy Keane has been excellent since he came back for Ireland and everyone knows just how good Patrick Vieira is. It will be a massive battle between the two and I think whoever comes out on top will have a bearing on the game's outcome.
Roy's been very helpful towards the younger players since his return. He talks a lot to them and they seek his advice. When you watch him on the training field, let alone matches, he's brilliant, and that rubs off on the rest of the players.
It's been a difficult period for France. They've had a lot of internationals retiring over the last few years and that might be the main reason behind their dip in form.
Zinedine Zidane, Claude Makelele and Lilian Thuram are back though and that's something we just have to deal with. It's still 11 against 11. Yes, they are world-class players, but we have world-class players in our side as well.
Personally, I don't think France are a scarier opposition with those three back in. With or without that trio, they're still a very good side and I don't think their return has made us more fearful of them at all.
In a way I hope that those three returning players have caused problems within the camp. It's possible. There are other players now who won't be involved in the game and they won't be happy about that. They'll be frustrated. Having said that, Zidane, Makelele and Thuram will probably have been welcomed back warmly because they are top-class players.
We're just going to concentrate on how we perform. If we play to our strengths and reach the level of performance that we know we can, then I think we'll do well. It's certainly a good chance for us to beat them. We're at home, we've got a good group of players and we're confident of getting something from the match.
These are the games you play the game for, these are the ones you really look forward to. Every player will tell you the same. The prize at the end of the qualifiers is the chance to play in the greatest competition of all, the World Cup. And it doesn't get better than that.
