Time for nearly men to deliver

Their achievements in the underage game earned them the title "The Golden Generation", but even though they reached the semi-finals at Euro 2000, much has yet to be done if Portugal are to avoid being consigned to history as the game's "Missed It Men".

At home there has always been a belief that there is a major international title in Luis Figo and the rest of this star-studded team, but with Euro 2000 having looked their best chance to deliver so far, time is starting to run out for Ireland's opposition. Nobody doubts the individual ability of players like Figo, Rui Costa or Joao Pinto, but according to Bobby Robson, who dealt with many of the current team during his spells as manager at Sporting Lisbon, Porto and Barcelona: "Sometimes, in the past, they have simply struggled to work as a team."

That, he says, changed in Belgium and Holland, when fringe players started to force their way towards centre stage. "With everybody pulling together they were almost a match for France (in the semi final), losing to a controversial penalty after giving as good as they'd got for the rest of the game. That's how good they are."

For all improvement shown by other players, Robson maintains it is Figo who remains central to Portuguese fortunes. "He is a brilliant player with great courage and great mental strength," says the Newcastle United boss, who managed the 27-year-old at Sporting Lisbon and Barcelona. "He is a great team player. If he plays well and the rest of the team get it right, then it certainly won't be easy for the Republic."

The Real Madrid star himself, meanwhile, insists the Irish "will be harder to beat than England", who were too "rigid" in their tactical approach at Euro 2000, and so let their opponents "see what we had to do to beat them".

After 18 minutes of that opening group game, it appeared that the Portuguese had misread the signals slightly, for the they were 2-0 down to Kevin Keegan's men. However, inspired by Figo who scored the first of their three goals, Humberto Coelho's side turned the game around with a masterful display of passing football.

"What that game showed was what can be achieved if you believe in yourselves, and it is because the Irish have just that sort of self-belief that they will be difficult opponents for us," says Figo.

With Coelho gone, Antonio Oliveira - the coach who was in charge when Ireland lost 3-0 in Lisbon five years ago - has take n control of the national team again. Despite the change, the continuity is almost complete, with both men sharing the same tactical approach and favouring the same personnel.

There are some question marks over the formation that Oliveira will use tonight, with a three- or four-man defence both possibilities. There is also uncertainty over who will play defensively on the right side, with Secretario, Sergio Conceicao and newcomer Paulo Cabral the main contenders.

As the Germans discovered, though, when they were hammered by what was effectively Coelho's second team at Euro 2000, the exact line-up doesn't matter too much. But the French proved to be made of tougher stuff, and now getting to Japan and Korea will matter more than ever to a team whose day should already have arrived.