A cloud hung over the Belgian camp as training finished yesterday. Marc Wilmots, the inspirational midfielder who was so effective in the Dublin game, is now virtually certain to miss tomorrow night's game and the man who must pick his replacement, Georges Leekens, was upset at the way the Irish media portrayed him a couple of weeks ago.
Wilmots has received intensive treatment on a hamstring injury from the doctors at his club Schalke 04 over the past few days and the 28-year-old managed a brief run-out at the King Baudouin Stadium yesterday afternoon. His movement, however, remains very limited and, while Leekens says that he will not abandon hope of an improvement until tomorrow, he came pretty close to doing so after the session.
"He might play but I don't think so. It would be a miracle and I don't believe in them," said the former Bruges manager, "although when they do happen, I thank God for them."
The remark seemed to hint at a return by the Belgian to the remarkable banter he produced at his first Dublin press conference but any such thoughts were quickly dismissed when Leekens, clearly upset at the tone of some of the reports on that occasion, remarked: "I was given a name I didn't like. To call me an idiot as a coach is one thing but as a human being is offensive, so I will not say so much this time."
He did confirm his intention to press forward in search of the win in this game. "Our tactics are always the same, to score goals. That will not change. What has changed is that Mick McCarthy says that we're the favourites now but it is not as simple as that. "We are at home now but we have seen how the Irish can play so much better away from home. In the game in Romania we saw how many more chances they can create than they did against us in Dublin and that is what we will expect on Saturday night." If Wilmots fails to make the starting line-up Gert Claessens of Bruges is emerging as the favourite to fill his boots while Filip Haagdoren and Danny Boffin are the other options. Glen de Boeck, the Anderlecht defender who has played just two games since returning from an enforced 18 month absence, now looks certain to take over the sweeper's role.
The Dutch-based Luc Nilis, meanwhile, who is certain to partner Luis Oliveira up front, paid tribute to Shay Given's performance in the first leg. "I like him a lot as a goalkeeper," said Holland's top scorer for the past two seasons, "and I think you have him to thank for still having a chance here."
The Donegalman may have his work cut out this time around with Oliveira announcing with a smile that, having scored five goals in the qualifying stages so far, "I hope to make it seven against the Irish."
