France defender William Gallas is relishing the prospect of taking on the Republic of Ireland in Dublin next Wednesday, describing the crunch World Cup qualifier as "the kind of game you've got to experience at least once in your life".

While Les Bleus coach Raymond Domenech continues to preach caution, and the majority of his players are expressing their concern over the physical nature of Ireland's game, Gallas has been full of optimism and fighting talk at France's training camp this week.

Fresh from scoring his first international goal against the Ivory Coast last month, and playing with the confidence of a man who has ousted Ricardo Carvalho in the Chelsea team, Gallas claims he cannot wait to get out onto the Lansdowne Road pitch.

"It's going to be good," he said with an excited smile. "I'd recommend watching it because I guarantee there'll be fireworks.

"It'll be a typical Premiership-style game with both sides going for it from the first kick. This is the kind of game that you've got to experience at least once in your life and I've told my team-mates to try to savour the occasion."

Domenech clearly appreciates Gallas' qualities as a competitor. The versatile defender is the only Frenchman to have started all 11 games since Euro 2004 and he is set to extend that record against the Faroe Islands tomorrow.

Whether he is playing at left-back, right-back or centre-half, the 28-year-old has been a model of consistency in an otherwise shaky defence, and he is widely regarded as one of the pillars of the side.

"I wouldn't go that far," Gallas said. "The coach likes my versatility and for the time being I'm playing regularly. That could change quickly, though, and it's up to me to make sure I work hard to keep my place."

Gallas, like many senior France players, refuses to cite Domenech's name in interviews, and clearly has a frosty relationship with the former under-21 boss. Initially annoyed by the coach's insistence on the use of shin pads during training sessions, Gallas' patience has been further tested by Domenech's reluctance to pick him in his preferred position.

In a friendly match against Poland in November, Domenech riled the former Marseille stopper by starting him at left-back, moving him to right-back in the second half, then offering a sarcastic response to his sulky behaviour after the game. "Gallas wants to play in the centre, does he? Well he should be happy because in order to get from the left to the right, he had to pass through the middle."

This week France's quick-witted coach described him as "one of the best left-backs in the world", though Gallas seems unimpressed by the compliment.

"Maybe he thinks that, but other people think I'm better in the middle," he said. "The two positions are very different. When I play on the left I have to contribute more going forward and that's not my natural game. I find it frustrating because I know that some of my passing has been dreadful - and my crossing too. But I'm working on it."

The return of Lilian Thuram has left Gallas resigned to the fact his immediate future with France is at left-back - something he finds easier to accept now that he is playing in the middle for his club.

"I'm delighted to be playing centre-back for Chelsea again and I hope to stay there for a long time," he said.

Meanwhile, Gallas is looking forward to the challenge of facing his Chelsea team-mate Damien Duff, although the two are likely to start next week's game on opposite flanks.

"I play against Duff every day in training so I know how difficult he is to stop," Gallas said. "He's very direct and uses his speed well. We'll have to be really careful."

Right-back Willy Sagnol should be Duff's immediate opponent, and Gallas revealed he will be briefing the Bayern Munich defender before Wednesday.

"We'll have a chat but not yet because we are focusing on the Faroe Islands," he explained.

"Willy is a very good full back, though, and he has a fair idea of what to expect because he played against Duff in the Champions League last year."