Trapattoni aiming to go all the way

Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni has insisted his side can still qualify for next year’s World Cup and will once again adopt a defensive strategy with a view to taking the match in Paris on Wednesday to extra-time or penalties. Nicolas Anelka’s deflected second-half strike allowed Raymond Domenech’s side to leave Croke Park with a 1-0 victory on Saturday and they will be favourites to progress ahead of the return leg.

‘I don’t want to concede five goals, three goals or two goals. One-nil is enough to take it to extra-time and maybe penalties,’ said the 70-year-old.

‘This is a game for calm heads. Okay, take risks in the last few minutes, but if we go forward and concede goals, it’s finished.

‘I am confident. The team was a little bit disappointed, sure, but I know my team. They have character, they are proud and we must get the same reaction we have had before.’

Trapattoni thinks there is still a long way to go in the tie and believes that the French are still there for the taking.

‘Football makes us suffer, but there is another great opportunity in Paris because France have conceded many goals away and also at home,’ said Trapattoni at the Irish training camp in Malahide.

‘We must think about this situation, this balance, our performance, our mentality and also what they have allowed opponents in the past.

‘They concede goals and like us, they ended in second place in their group – and we think our group was stronger.

‘We have to think about the positive situations and not the result because in the end, football can come down to a deflection, the crossbar, the referee – there are many situations which can change the result.

‘I don’t wish to speak about luck, but one year, we won a championship with Juventus when an opponent hit the ball against my striker and we scored a goal.

‘If you look at our performance last night, we played a good game.

‘I have heard also opinion from Italy and other countries, and they said Ireland played a good game against this France team.’