MICHAEL ROBINSON has had to make a bit of room in his trophy cabinet in the past few days.

The former Ireland and Liverpool striker picked up a fair few honours in his playing days, and won the European Cup. Now he's on the other side of the fence, working as a TV analyst and presenter for Spanish TV. Spain has been his home since he ended his playing days there 15 years ago. Earlier this week his TV show, Informe Robinson, won the TV prize at the Spanish equivalent of the Emmys.

But there is one honour that the ex-striker is keen to shed. Back in October 1981, he scored the third goal for Ireland in their 3-2 win over France in a World Cup qualifier in Dublin and that was the last time that an Ireland player hit the back of the net against the French.

"A few people have reminded me this week that no Irishman has scored against France since I did in '81," Robinson told the Herald from his Madrid home.

"I'm proud of every cap I won and every goal I scored for Ireland, but it's time for the current team to beat my record and score against the French. And I think Ireland really have a chance," added Robinson, who has a worthy insight into the French side as he regularly watches their La Liga stars like Henry, Benzema, Diarra and Squillaci in his day job on Spanish TV.

"Ireland will be able to create things and beat them. Of course there is something to fear: there is a World Cup at stake. Ireland are very close now, and I know from '82 the feeling of losing it when it's close. But if I was playing again, if I was Kevin Doyle going into tomorrow's game, I would really relish this game. France are a big team, but they don't bite."

Michael Robinson -- don't call him Mick, he doesn't like that -- only scored four goals for Ireland in his 24 appearances from 1980 to 1986, but the one that stands out was that strike at home to France 28 years ago, the crucial goal in a 3-2 win for Eoin Hand's side.

And looking back now, the joy of scoring against a France side -- who would become European Champions within three years -- was tempered by the agony of missing out on the World Cup on goal difference.

smashing

"Funnily enough, I can't really remember much detail about the goal I scored, I just recall smashing a shot and seeing it go in, but that's all. I recall almost breaking down in tears after scoring, I think that made it 3-1," Robinson recalled.

"Platini scored a goal to make it 3-2, and that was shattering for us as goal difference was important in the end. Through the immense amount of joy we felt at winning there was also a strange feeling.

"We had a mission to accomplish that day, to beat France, and we did that. But, still, I couldn't help wondering if we had accomplished our mission of going to the World Cup, as that late goal by France, which made it 3-2, could have been costly and that's how it turned out.

"I recall sitting in my house in Hove and watching the last game in the group -- France beat Holland and they qualified instead of us, on goal difference -- and then weeping like a kid who had lost his first dog, the devastation at missing out on the World Cup finals. It was a feeling we knew as we were robbed, totally robbed, in the game away to Belgium, I lost a lot of faith in football that day as we were truly robbed by the referee.

"The 1982 World Cup campaign still sticks in my mind, but the France game in Dublin especially.

bloody

"I actually made my Ireland debut in France, in the Parc des Princes, early in the campaign and we were very hard done by. I had scored to make it 1-1 but the referee -- who was Spanish as it happens -- decided to disallow the goal, he claimed that Kevin Moran had knocked the ball down with his hand, instead of his nose, which was quite bloody afterwards as the ball had clearly hit Kevin's nose.

"We were hard done by in Paris so we were more determined than ever to do well at home to the French. I remember the bus journey to Lansdowne Road -- people were up in trees and on phone boxes to get a look at the team coach and give us a cheer, which was a nice sight. We had the usual music on the bus on the way to the game and there was a great atmosphere around, even when we were leaving the Green Isle Hotel.

"We were incredibly motivated, we had all this adrenalin and we were trying to deal with it, which in itself was not easy. We had to be careful not to get too worked up and too tired before the game.

"I had played in big games before, but I was trying to contain myself and not get too worked up, to conserve energy.

"I remember running like a scalded cat down the wing and crossing the ball for Frank Stapleton to score -- though maybe it was officially an own goal with a deflection.

"That game in '81 was a great battle between Brady and Platini. Juventus were the best club side in the world then and Platini was a key player (he replaced Brady at Juventus in 1982), but I recall that it was Tigana who did the damage to us in Paris, he was world class. But Brady was a genius, an absolute f****** genius.

"Over the 180 minutes against France Brady was superb, and I think he outshone Platini in the matches, but Larios was also some player.

"Eoin Hand back then had the finest football team Ireland ever had and yet we had underachieved, we had failed to make the World Cup. Sides have brought great glory to Ireland since then but I feel we played the best football Ireland ever played; that was some side we had and we deserved so much more. I feel we were cheated out of that World Cup."

When his career in England was starting to slow down, Robinson took the well-worn path to Spanish football. He joined Osasuna in 1987, where Sammy Lee was a team-mate, and people like Gary Lineker were opponents. Kevin Moran, Ashley Grimes and John Aldridge were also around at the time.

When he was forced to call time on his career, Robinson stayed in Spain, becoming fluent in the language and then became a high-profile TV presenter.

Six of the current French squad play their club football in Spain, and Robinson feels that despite his reputation, Thierry Henry is now a spent force -- though the same can't be said for Real Madrid man Lassana Diarra.

"Diarra has been a sensation for Real Madrid, he's been their saving grace. If you were to ask Spanish football fans who they would like to have in their team, they would say Casillas, Las Diarra -- and another nine players," says Robinson.

"Benzema has come to Real Madrid and done OK, but he can do better. I have watched him for four years now, and every time I see him I think 'he's going to be a player one day' but he has never done that for me.

"It's one of those itches you can't scratch; he does OK but just can't do what he is capable of. I'm still waiting for him to play as well as he can.

"And then there is Henry. With the slight exception of last season, when he did only OK in the best football side in the world, Henry looked a bit off. He didn't look like an ex-footballer but was close enough.

"There have been signs since the day Henry signed for Barcelona that he was past it. He came here as a very big star from Arsenal but he just got clumsy with the company he was in.

"It seemed as if the team was on another page to him and it was only last season that he looked OK, but this season he's on the wrong page again. He has lived better times. He is not the player who was so good for Arsenal," he added.

stars

"Of course France have all the stars for this game. Being honest, people in Spain have no idea about this Irish team and the Irish players. They have never heard of people like Whelan or Hunt.

"But Ireland have a good chance, because Ireland have a very strong unit. France have all the individuals but not necessarily a great team.

"The champagne football that France are famous for is restricted by this strange manager they have in charge; he seems to be derided by most people in football but is tolerated by the French FA. Every time I see France I expect them to start playing the way they can, but that doesn't happen and I feel Ireland have a good chance -- it's at least 50-50.

"The referee could be crucial -- as we know from 1982 -- but Ireland are in with a great shout."

- Aidan Fitzmaurice