Gourcuff and Benzema fear play-off date with Ireland

France stars Yoann Gourcuff and Karim Benzema give off the impression that they have been pinned back on the ropes for a little too long as they prepare for Saturday's World Cup play-off against the Republic of Ireland.

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Raymond Domenech takes training France training this week with Karim Benzema and Thierry Henry

Accepting copious amounts of criticism has been part of the job if you have been associated with Raymond Domenech's French national team over the last few years and both Gourcuff and Benzema show all the signs of grogginess you might expect from such a battering.

Much of the abuse has not been misplaced as any side blessed with the sort of talent the under-fire Domenech is working with should be finalising hotel bookings for next summer rather than preparing for qualifying overtime and yet Les Bleus are heading to Dublin for a daunting date with destiny.

Even though logic suggests that French class should usurp Ireland's raw passion, the prospect of a double header against Giovanni Trapattoni's resurgent team is sending a shiver of fear down more than a few high profile Gallic spines.

Bordeaux star Gourcuff admits Les Bleus would be mistaken to dismiss the merits of a side who twice came close to beating reigning world champions Italy in their recently concluded qualifying effort, while also giving an insight into his emotions as the game looms large.

"This is a do or die situation and I see it as exciting, challenging and, if I am being honest, a little bit chilling," begins the 23-year-old, who has established himself as the key man in Domenech's France side in the last couple of years.

"So many so-called experts have said this France team cannot win with Domenech and those people are now waiting for us to fall against Ireland. Well, I view this play-off as the chance to rebuild the trust of the fans and the media who are against us.

"We have to be positive about our national team and our fans will be behind us as long as we give them something to hold onto. However, it could work against us if we play badly in the second leg in Paris because all the pressure is on us. At least we have players who are used to dealing with such expectations."

Benzema joins Gourcuff in suggesting the biggest motivation Les Bleus will take with them into the play-offs is borne out of a desire to silence the doubters who he believes have undermined a French side that has stumbled to this delicate stage of the World Cup qualifying process.

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Yoann Gourcuff: Preparing for a vital game

"Our media have been on our backs for too long now and, at times, they have slaughtered us," says Benzema. "What they don't realise is we have a great atmosphere and harmony inside our group, but the press have people believing the opposite.

"All sorts of criticism is levelled at us by our media, but most of it is invented. This is why it would be really satisfying to prove them wrong and qualify in some style. I'd say this French team is never more dangerous than when it is written off.

"Let's be realistic. The state of our national team is not nearly as disastrous as it is painted as we have more talented and ambitious players than most countries. If we keep our heads up and stay focused, we'll be fine and this is why I expect we will see the best of France against Ireland. We have something to prove to our critics and it gives us even more motivation."

Benzema's confidence is diluted by the reality that Ireland were the team he was keen to side step in the World Cup play-offs. "This is a draw neither team wanted," he confirms. "We were the last opponents the Irish would have picked and we probably didn't need them either as this will be a very close game.

"What the draw has done is focus all of our minds. The more that we have riding on a match, the more exciting it is for this French team and a World Cup play-off is the same as a Champions League knock-out. It's adrenaline time and these are the games you really want to be involved in.

"It has come down to 180 minutes on the pitch, not just about the talking of the media, and we have to make sure the final whistle blows with France raising their hands to celebrate. Missing the World Cup is unthinkable."

Domenech's belligerent determination to hang onto the keys of power with the French national team despite a concerted campaign to remove him means an army of critics will be waiting for him to hammer a final nail into his own coffin against the Irish.

His claim that Ireland were "merely an England B team" shortly after the play-off draw took place was a classic Domenech gaff that piled even more unnecessary pressure onto the shoulders of all in his dressing room and the notion that French can only win in spite of rather than because of their discredited coach is clearly giving the Irish some hope.

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Raymond Domenech has few friends

Gourcuff admits the man France fear more than any other in the Ireland set-up will not even pull on a green shirt in anger this weekend, with their celebrity manager clearly a figure who commands respect.

"We have to be totally focused for both ties against Ireland if we are going to come through because this is an opponent who will be perfectly organised by Trapattoni and more than capable of causing the upset," he adds. "Look at the way they nearly beat Italy a few weeks ago. This shows Ireland are a team to be respected and anyone who underestimates a man of Trapattoni's experience is making a big mistake.

"During my time with AC Milan, I heard a lot about Trapattoni and what a clever coach he was. Everyone says he is a crafty old fox and there are few better than him at organising a team defensively and getting his tactics just right.

"I expect them to be dangerous from set-plays and my guess would be that they will not go for everything in the first leg. Trapattoni may ask his players to be cute and try to hit us on the break, with their top priority likely to be shutting us down.

"The only way we can show we have the superior players is if we earn the right to have the ball for long enough to do some damage. We will not disrespect Ireland, but we are confident of beating them."

Domenech's star men are clearly keen to offer confident words for public consumption, but the scars of the traumas from the past few years are still bubbling under the surface.

Trapattoni and Ireland will be hoping those ingrained doubts burst through their fragile Gallic skin over the course of the play-off battles that lie ahead.