The Cameroon camp yesterday tried to play down the possible implications of the Roy Keane saga for the Republic of Ireland.

"Some people think this (Keane saga) is a very big advantage for the Cameroon team, but we don't agree," Cameroon's team manager Andre Nguidgol said. "Ireland will come up with a strategy and will no doubt play even harder now that Keane is not with them," he added.

Nguidgol went on to say Cameroon could not afford to take Ireland for granted. "A team is a team. It's 11 players, not one player," he said. "We have to be careful and prepare ourselves. Even without Keane, it's still the World Cup and Ireland are still one of the best sides."

At a press conference in Nakatsue, Schaefer said that Patrick Mboma's niggling Achilles problem appeared to be a thing of the past, with the striker participating fully in the squad's training sessions.

"Patrick gets treatment every day from our staff . . . I'm hopeful he will play against Ireland," Schaefer said.

Defender Marko Rehmer is not fully fit and could miss Germany's against Saudi Arabia on Saturday in Sapporo.

Coach Rudi Voeller said yesterday that the Hertha Berlin player, who has just recovered from a sprained shoulder, had to be left out when the triple world champions trained behind closed doors on Tuesday.

Rehmer had not played a competitive match since last March because of various injuries when he took part in a 10-0 demolition of a regional junior side in Germany's last warm-up game in this southern Japanese seaside resort on Sunday.

"The Miyazaki match has left traces and he needs time to recapture his best form," said Voeller. "We have to look at it on a daily basis," the coach added when asked whether Rehmer could play in his side's opening Group E game.