It might be a rollercoaster, there might be a few of us watching from behind pillows, it mightn't be the most comfortable afternoon of our lives, but I honestly believe we'll get through to the World Cup finals today - I think our name's on it this time.

We've had that many custard pies in the face I reckon this time we have a chance. It doesn't necessarily mean diddly-squat but we deserve to get through too, because of the sheer quality of our qualifying campaign so far.

Our biggest asset is our team spirit, and we'll have that today when we most need it - in a packed stadium, when the prize means so much. When you go back to some of our biggest games, against Italy in New York or, at the risk of being accused of self aggrandisement, against Scotland in Glasgow, or against England in Euro '88, when Lineker had those 14 chances, team spirit pulled us through, as it always does when it matters. That's us - we've never, ever been found wanting in that department.

Of course Roy Keane's absence is a big blow but he's out, that's it, we've got to forget about him - Mark Kinsella will come in and just get on with it. Yes, Keane is our only world class player, we know that, but everyone in the country should forget about someone trying to play like him because there is no one like him - what we should concentrate on is a team effort, one that will, in the end, annul the fact that Keane isn't playing.

Kinsella won't be under pressure to produce a Roy Keane performance because he's not that kind of player. He just needs to go out and do what he's always done for us and that's always been very, very good - and if Matt Holland does the same there won't be any need to worry. There's nothing we can do about Keane's absence - and whenever we've needed performances from people in key areas we've got them, that's precisely why we've got this far.

Remember, Holland captained an Ipswich team that finished sixth in the Premiership last year and a lot of our great performances have been all about Keane and Kinsella, not just Keane.

The problem is that we've had a build up of three or four days so we've had nothing else to talk about but the absence of Keane so we've all exacerbated the problem by going on and on about it. We're all looking for "loop holes" to worry about. That's the way of the world, of course we'll miss him - but all we need is a 2-1, 3-1 defeat and we're through. It's not about everyone playing well, it's just about getting through, by hook or by crook.

I'd be slightly more worried now about the concerns over Steve Staunton, whose recent form has been excellent - the one thing about him is that he's been a good organiser for us in the last 18 months. We're already missing Keane, who organises by example, so if Staunton was out as well that might be a problem.

Staunton and Niall Quinn are both very experienced so they'll know if they're fit enough to get through - if they think they might let us down they won't "pick" themselves.

McCarthy will put the onus on them to decide whether they're okay, he'll ask them if they can last 75 or 80 minutes, but he'll know by looking in the whites of their eyes, even before they open their mouths, if they're fit.

There was some talk of Quinn, if he doesn't start, being replaced with Lee Carsley to give us a five-man midfield, with just Robbie Keane up front.

Well, tactically we've tried that in the past and conceded last-minute goals so I'm pretty certain we've learned from that mistake and realised that the best approach is to always pose a goal threat away from home - not only because it gives you a chance of getting a goal but also because it stops the opposition piling forward against you. The lessons from that late Croatia defeat in particular, in the Euro 2000 qualifier, will have been learned.

You would not, as a manager, having come so far and so close, want to go into this game thinking "shut up shop" and then kick yourself afterwards for never really having a go at Iran.

There's no doubt the best part of their team is from midfield going forward so it makes sense for us to try to exploit them at the back, if possible, or least to probe for a weakness at the back.

I would, therefore, opt for David Connolly rather than Carsley as a replacement for Quinn if he doesn't make it. I would hate to go there and sit back, with just one striker, and end up losing out - it would then always then be a case of "why didn't we just play another striker and try to get the goal?".

The goal's the important thing - if we get one they need four and you have to imagine that would be enough. We have to attack them, but not willy nilly, just play our normal game - we've got a goal away from home every time in this competition so we haven't got to change anything, just play as if it's 0-0. The sooner we can get that goal the sooner everyone can get some peace of mind and relax a bit.

Mick McCarthy has been quoted this week as saying we will "defend by attacking" - that's precisely what we have to do.

All this talk about 120,000 in the stadium is just an attempt to put us on the back foot - as a footballer when you get inside a stadium you don't know if they've got 70, 80, 90 or 150,000 because you don't stand there counting, that's not a factor. Stay strong, play as we have played right throughout the campaign and, by 4 p.m. today, I think we'll be through. And, I tell you what, no one will deserve it more.

In an interview with Mary Hannigan