Same message, same words. Giovanni Trapattoni tried his best tto accentuate the positive but the feeling that he is pushing his team up a hill was impossible to ignore.

The final Irish press conference before the deciding leg of this World Cup play-off was notable only because Robbie Keane gave a more stirring call to arms than his manager -- a first in the short history of Trap's time with the Republic of Ireland.

But Trap, like the rest of us, has invested a lot of time and energy in the endeavour and he still believes, despite a book of evidence to the contrary, that France can be beaten.

"Two days ago after Croke Park, I think we play a good game and France also. With discipline, attitude and mentality. I am convinced after watching the game again, that a draw would have been a more fair result," said Trapattoni.

"Yesterday with the players, we reviewed some situations in the game. We said to each other that we must believe that we can do it and achieve this qualification.

"We know what we must do -- our attitude, our mentality can bring us a goal. I am confident. In football, every game changes, the situation is not always the same."

changes

After the defeat in Croker, Trapattoni hinted at changes to come for the return leg, but he has decided to give the 11 men who started against the French in the first leg the opportunity to turn things around.

"I thought all the players deserve to play again. I said that a few of the players played below their normal performance but they deserve to play again. They've all recovered their energy and I'm sure they can do 90 minutes and perhaps more."

Come what may, Trap will plough on with his system and try to push all negative thoughts to one side -- even if the South African dream turns to dust.

"I don't think about losing or disappointment," he said. "Life sometimes gives disappointment but in football, there's always another opportunity.

"This team is young. I have scars from the years. Sometimes I lose. But I start the next game. Never say never -- that's my best attribute."

Trapattoni expects the French to be much more proactive than they were in Croke Park and in this he see possibilities.

"They cannot sit back as they did in Dublin. It was their tactic in Dublin but I think they cannot play the same way this time.

"We will not give up, we will fight to the end. If we maintain our discipline and our mentality, we can achieve qualification -- I believe this."

- Paul Hyland