THERE WAS plenty of apprehension in France when Raymond Domenech's stuttering team were drawn to play Ireland in the World Cup play-off, yet a dramatic shift in opinion has followed Saturday's slender win. Despite the unconvincing nature of the performance, a host of experts believe Les Bleus are as good as qualified for South Africa.
If the French press were full of caution last week, the mood has lightened considerably and there is no longer any talk of Ireland's fighting spirit or set-piece threat. The barrage of pressure the French defence had been anticipating at Croke Park never materialised, and nobody seems particularly worried about Ireland any more.
"There's no comparison between the teams," ex-international Robert Pires argued. "In terms of technique and possession, Les Bleus were superior. They'll finish the job off quickly on Wednesday."
Pires has been accused of arrogance in the past but the Villarreal playmaker is not the only one insinuating the contest is already over. Jacques Santini, who coached France at Euro 2004, believes "the hardest part has been done", saying: "Ireland are physical and energetic, but playing twice in four days against a more talented team will cost them. I can't see how France will fail to reach South Africa."
It should be said the 2006 World Cup finalists were far from impressive in the first leg and enjoyed a large slice of fortune when Nicolas Anelka's shot deflected in off the post. Yet over the last few days French pundits have been more critical of Ireland than their own side.
"I was disappointed by the Irish," television expert and former France forward Olivier Rouyer said. "They told us to expect a storm but there was no storm."
Youri Djorkaeff, a world champion in 1998, claims Ireland facilitated France's task. "I was surprised they didn't start the game at a hundred miles an hour," he said. "They let us get a grip on proceedings. There's no reason to be scared. We're better than them and we'll show that again on Wednesday. My prediction? 2-0."
The complacency that has crept in is reflected in yesterday's edition of L'Equipe. Rather than asking its readers if they felt Les Bleus would prevail at the Stade de France, the traditional question du jour mused: "Will France score several goals against Ireland?"
Not everyone thinks the hosts need only turn up to progress. The French FA's technical director Gerard Houllier, for example, is taking nothing for granted.
"We fought well in the air [in the first leg]," the former Liverpool and France coach said. "Then in the second half we got the ball down and created some chances.
"But we still need to negotiate the second leg well. We must start as if the game is still goalless, remain focused and avoid making a mistake that might stupidly get us in trouble. France's chances have increased to 65 or 70 percent."
Houllier is well-placed to comment on potential World Cup shocks. In 1993, his France side needed one point from their last two matches to reach the finals, but after going down 3-2 in Israel, a side boasting the talents of Marcel Desailly, Laurent Blanc, Jean-Pierre Papin, Eric Cantona and David Ginola lost 2-1 to Bulgaria at the Parc des Princes.
Houllier famously blamed Ginola for the defeat, accusing the winger of reckless stupidity after he lost possession in the dying moments. Emil Kostadinov's 90th-minute strike remains one of the most painful memories in the history of the French game - and encouragingly for Ireland it shows that pressure can get to even the finest players.
With France again needing only a draw to progress, comparisons are inevitable. However, Bernard Lama, the goalkeeper on that fateful night, is not expecting a repeat. "There's always the danger of nerves creeping in but I can't see that happening to such an experienced side," Lama said.
"In 1993, we didn't know whether to go for a win or a draw. We were caught between two stools. But let's be honest, you can't compare this Ireland side with that Bulgaria side, who went on to reach the World Cup semi-finals."
The French seem totally convinced Ireland pose no threat. Now it is up to Giovanni Trapattoni's men to prove them wrong.
