THE French are afraid. Very afraid. They are afraid of the strength and passion of the Irish players. (They even have a French phrase for it: "le fighting spireet".)

They are afraid that Giovanni Trapattoni will win the tactical battle with the unpopular Raymond Domenech. The sports newspaper 'L'Equipe' carried a front-page headline yesterday "Their best chance is him," next to a collage of Irish players and a picture of the French coach.

The French are afraid of Ireland's ability from set pieces, which has sometimes been a French weakness. Photographs of Sean St Ledger's full-length diving header to score against Italy have been splashed all over French newspapers this week, like a terrible warning or prophesy.

The French are even afraid of the colour green. Patrice Evra revealed this week that he had bought himself a can of Sprite and then noticed the colour. He threw it away.

The French are afraid of the Irish fans, home and away. "John O'Shea promises me Croke Park will be like hell for us," said Evra.

There has been much gloomy discussion in the French press about the legions of Irish fans who have got hold of tickets for the return at Stade de France, next Wednesday. The stadium, just north of Paris, built for the World Cup in 1998, and scene of French football's greatest triumph in that year's final, has since turned into an unhappy venue for Les Bleus.

passion

The Parisian fans lack passion; they are quick to criticise, even whistle and boo. If the stadium is one third full of Irish fans, it could become like a second away leg. Hence the conviction among French football writers that the tie will be won, or lost, tomorrow in Dublin.

William Shakespeare wrote in King Henry V of the "confident and over-lusty" French, who sneeringly dismissed the chances of the "low-rated" opposition before the Agincourt play-offs in 1415. Shakespeare would have made a poor football reporter it seems.

And yet, and yet. Despite all the well-founded fears and anxieties, there is a fundamental conviction among French football commentators and retired players that France will, finally, have too much class and too much experience for "les hommes de Trapattoni".

France, the beaten finalists in 2006, have a squad stuffed with star players from the English and Spanish leagues. In Thierry Henry, they have one of the greatest footballers of his generation, now ageing, but finally delivering his best for the national team. Nicolas Anelka is in the form of his life, for club and country.

Yoann Gourcuff of Bordeaux -- perhaps less known to fans in Ireland -- is an unstoppable playmaker on his day, with the talent of Zinedine Zidane, the energy of a Roy Keane and the film-star looks of a Cristiano Ronaldo. Evra, phenomenal at left back for Manchester United for three years, has finally begun to transfer his defensive and offensive talent to the national team.

France must win. Mustn't they?

Zidane, the emblematic figure of the team that won the 1998 World Cup, said yesterday that Ireland was the "hardest of all the draws that France could have been given" for the World Cup play-offs. "But all the same, this is a tie which is well within our reach," he said. "Technically, the France players are a notch higher . . . I am convinced that, over the two legs, we will be on our way to South Africa."

Youri Djorkaeff, another retired star of the '98 World Cup-winning team, said: "(With Ireland), you know exactly how they are going to play. No surprises. You know what you are getting. I prefer Ireland a thousand times to Ukraine, say, who, on a good day, can really hurt you."

Patrick Urbini, tactical analyst for 'France Football' magazine, described Ireland as "easy to predict. They can't really play or keep the ball for long periods and are vulnerable to balls played over the top or rapid counter-attacks."

An undertow of French anxiety remains, however. Ireland may, or may not be as predictable as Urbini suggests. France are utterly unpredictable. Which team of "Bleus" will turn up in Croke Park? The team which lost 3-1 away to Austria in the group stage? Or the team reduced to 10 men which fought, and played, brilliantly to draw away to Serbia?

One of the greatest of the present generation of French players, Franck Ribery -- no film-star looks in his case -- is injured. Karim Benzema, the highly-rated young striker transferred from Lyon to Real Madrid in the summer, is rarely given a starting slot by Domenech. (This is one of the many gripes against the France coach, who often seems less in charge of the team than, say, the captain Henry.)

In midfield, Lassana Diarra (Real Madrid) and Jeremy Toulalan (Lyon) are fine players but no better than many midfielders faced, week in, week out, by Ireland players in the Premier League.

Instead of Benzema, a player of infinite skill but dubious commitment to the France cause, Domenech will start tomorrow, using a French-based striker, who is less known outside France than even Gourcuff. Andre-Pierre Gignac (23) is all lungs and legs, a tall, strong, mobile centre-forward in the 1950s Nat Lofthouse mould.

To turn around Djorkaeff's comments on Ireland, with Gignac you know exactly what you are getting. The Irish defence will find him a handful but more predictable than Benzema would have been.

Gignac was top scorer in the French league last year for Toulouse. His club goals have dried up this year but he has an impressive record of four strikes in eight appearance for France. He also claims to be an honorary Corkman. As a child, he spent a summer in a language and sports camp near Fermoy, where -- he told 'L'Equipe' yesterday -- he became a fan of Gaelic football.

"Croke Park is a mythical stadium," he said.

"What a fabulous occasion to play there for a place in the World Cup finals."

- John Lichfield

Irish Independent