Giovanni Trapattoni is famously loyal to his philosophy and unrepentant when it comes to defending it, so it came as no surprise today, on the eve of his most important match as Republic of Ireland manager, when he admitted a draw would suffice in Sofia tomorrow evening.

The Italian insists he will send his side out to win against Bulgaria but with World Cup qualification at stake, a draw against Ireland’s main challengers for second place in Group Eight would be a satisfactory outcome.

Victory at the Vassil Levski Stadium would send the visitors to the top of the pile, ahead of current leaders and reigning champions Italy, and would also leave the Bulgarians eight points adrift with a game in hand.

“I go on to the pitch with my team and I hope to win. I don’t think about losing,” said Trapattoni today. “Every coach thinks about winning - afterwards, you think maybe a draw is a good result.

“This game will be for us a very important and a difficult game. I am conscious how important it is to finish this long season with a positive result.”

Such an outcome will have to be achieved with a rookie in central defence after Trapattoni confirmed Preston's Seán St Ledger alongside Richard Dunne. His first comepetitive start will mean John O'Shea starts at right-back.

Though the Italian did not reveal his starting side, he hinted Stephen Hunt will start in midfield ahead of Aiden McGeady and is likely to opt for Caleb Folan up front alongside captain Robbie Keane.

Opposite number Stanimir Stoilov will this time be able to call upon Dimitar Berbatov, Martin Petrov and Valeri Bojinov, all of whom were injured for the game in Dublin.

“It’s is absolutely important to concentrate for an hour and 50 minutes,” Trapattoni said. “We know the famous Bulgaria players, they know the little details, they are clever they are also creative, so I repeat, my players, we need to be 100 per cent concentrated always.

“The have back players like Berbatov and Petrov who were missing in the last game. We know them, they are famous, they play in England.

“We have respect for those two players.”

Having partnered Berbatov in attack for Spurs for two season, Keane is well aware of the Bulgarian's talents.

"Of course, he is very dangerous. He is a fantastic player," said Keane today. "I had the privilege to play with him for two years at Tottenham and he is a massive danger to us, so we have to be wary of him.

"They also have other players who are just as important to the Bulgarian team, but he is certainly a threat.

"He has got quality - he is good on the ball, he's great in the air, he can score a goal, so we will certainly have to be wary of him."

Nonetheless, the Dubliner feels the team that Trap has built is capable of a result in Sofia

"We are as good as we have been for certainly a few years," he said. "As a team, you have to have a belief that you can go into games and that you can win them, and we certainly have that at the moment.

"You are going into games knowing you can win them, and that's what we are doing at the moment.

"We have that belief in the squad that no matter who plays or what players we can bring in, they can do a job for you, and we have that.

"The strength that we have is that we are a team. There are no individuals, we play together as a team and we win together - and if we lose together, we lose as a team.

"We have got a lot of characters in that team as well. We have a good balance at the moment."