Soccer: Giovanni Trapattoni took his first training session ahead of the World Cup play-off against France at Malahide United's Gannon Park today and revealed he had no immediate concerns over the fitness of his first choice XI ahead of Saturday's Croke Park clash.

The Italian, however, will wait on news from a scan of Liam Miller’s calf before deciding whether to include the Corkman in the matchday squad. The Hibernian player picked up the injury against Hearts at the weekend and will not be replaced if he has to drop out of the squad.

Miller would be unlikely to feature ahead of Keith Andrews or Glenn Whelan if fit, but would be a candidate for a place on the bench after featuring in the 0-0 draw against Montenegro at the end of the group campaign.

Other than that, Trapattoni has few worries on the injury front, with Damien Duff having emerged unscathed from his weekend exertions with Fulham, having returned from an Achilles strain.

The manager seemingly has few sleepless night's because of the opposition either and was typically theatrical in conveying his thoughts today.

"I'm not afraid about this team (France)," he said. "I know the quality of the France players, but our players at their clubs play against Arsenal, against Manchester United.

"France achieved second place in the group like us and we were one of only five unbeaten teams. We have a few creative players - maybe France have more and other teams have more still.

"But football is concrete. We are not a theatre, La Scala or Madison Square Garden. It's football.

"Football is a ball, pitch, opponent and mentality, that's football. Results are results, a show is a show and results are different to the show. That is our belief."

France midfielder Abou Diaby will stay in the squad despite Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger's assessment that he would be sidelined for three weeks.

"The tests he underwent this morning were satisfactory. He still needs treatment but he is not out (of the play-off)," French federation spokesperson Francois Manardo told reporters today. "He is staying with us (at the training camp)."

Diaby's compatriot and Gunners team-mate, full-back Bacary Sagna, expects a "crazy game" in Dublin.

"It's one of the biggest games I've played in because at the end you can go to the World Cup so we have to win it," he told Arsenal TV. "I think France have just missed one (World Cup finals) so it would be a big shame to stay here. I don't want to think about it, I just want to play at the World Cup.

"We have to give more than we did in qualifying and if we do that we'll be fine."

Under Trapattoni, Ireland were unbeaten in the group and drew twice with reigning world champions Italy.

Sagna expects the pace of the game to be like a Premier League match, and he will make sure his team-mates know exactly what is coming.

"It'll be a very intensive game and we have to be ready," he said. "There'll be a good atmosphere and they have good players but we (who play in the Premier League) know the players so we can talk about them to the other players.

"It'll be a crazy game. They (the Irish) are crazy about football and I expect them to run all over the pitch to give everything and in the away game as well."

France coach Raymond Domenech is under pressure after a poor group campaign, where Les Bleus lost out on the automatic qualifying spot for South Africa 2010 to Serbia.

They were particularly poor away from home, winning only two of their five games.

At headquarters, they will be without playmaker Franck Ribery for the two-legged tie because of a knee injury but Sagna is optimistic they can overcome the blow.

"He can change the game and he's a very good player," said the 26-year-old. "He's a big loss for us but we have other good players and they'll want to show what they can do."

Meanwhile, left-back Patrice Evra has been told by Manchester United team-mate John O'Shea to prepare for "hell".

"O'Shea, he promised me hell at Croke Park," the defender told L'Equipe.

Evra has called on his team-mates to stand up and be counted and has implored France fans to get behind the team and the coach.

"We must stop hiding behind Domenech," he continued. "People who whistle are the same. They should not forget that he is a coach who must lead France at the World Cup."