Despite the best efforts of FIFA to try and ensure that France safely qualify by seeding the play-offs, there is no doubt that they won't be taking the Irish easily. The Republic need to use this to their advantage though, the fans should feel that they have been treated harshly make a huge noise and be the twelfth man for their team. This will give them extra motivation and determination and maybe intimidate the French a little.
In my opinion the Irish simply must win tomorrows game to stand any chance of going to South Africa next summer, even a 1-0 win may not be enough. Ok, so the French aren't anywhere as near as good as they were ten years ago, and had a disastrous Euro 2008 campaign, going out in the group stages (although at least they were there), but if they need to get a result in the 2nd leg, I would expect them to turn up for the big occasion. These French players will not want to miss out on Football's biggest event.
The fans have grown tired of Raymond Domenech, and will be disappointed to be in the position they are, having finished runners up to Serbia in their qualifying group. In contrast, The Republic Of Ireland finished just behind current world champions Italy.
So a huge night is ahead in Dublin, and if the Irish don't win all is not completely lost, but I feel it probably will be.
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Of course, our very own England are also in action tomorrow in a glamorous friendly against Brazil. At least the setting is glamorous; Qatar, though unfortunately many of England's stars won't be on show.
There's a list as long as your arm of missing men including Lampard, Gerrard, Cole, Ferdinand and Johnson. This was supposed to be a chance for England to test themselves against the cream of the crop ahead of the World Cup next summer, but it will be a half strength team at best. Just a chance for The FA to make some money then, not what was their main thought of course...
Of course, these players are injured, so there's nothing you can really do. However you get the feeling if this was England v Brazil, World Cup Final, a few more of these players might be available.
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This column yesterday reported on the refreshing exploits in Peterborough United in their attempts to find a new manager. There is also the opposite side to the coin though with foreign managers being given the chance to start their careers in management in The Football League after Gus Poyet was appointed as the new manager of League One strugglers Brighton this week.
Of course with so many foreign players coming to these shores in the last twenty years it is only natural that there will be a growth in foreign managers too. This may not be such a bad thing though.
Eyebrows were raised at the beginning of last season when Roberto Di Matteo was appointed manager of Milton Keynes Dons, but he did a fine job and took them to the brink of The Championship losing out in the play-offs. This was recognised by West Bromwich Albion as they chose him to replace departing Tony Mowbray in the summer.
There are other examples too. Roberto Martinez was successful with Swansea and has since moved on too Wigan to have a crack at The Premier League. Paulo Souza is now finding his feet at The Liberty Stadium as Martinez's replacement after a not so successful spell at Queens Park Rangers.
Many people may look at these foreign managers as taking an opportunity from a young Brit. There is often a criticism aimed at foreigners saying they don't care and are just here for the money so fair play to them and Poyet in particular for being prepared to get his hands dirty in the muck and nettles of a League One relegation battle which he's likely to be involved in.
Of course I am not contradicting what was said yesterday, I would not want the leagues to be overrun with foreign managers, but a few here and there doesn't do any harm and as I've shown, like them or not, they're doing remarkably well!
