'Confident' Zidane calls for French unity

Legend Zinedine Zidane is confident France will qualify for South Africa 2010 and has called on Les Blues' fans to get behind the team.

Coach Raymond Domenech is hardly the most popular man in French football after a difficult qualification campaign, but Zidane is calling for unity ahead of the clash against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin (France 11/8 Stan James Match Betting).

He said: "This will be particularly difficult because it will be a fight there. But I'm confident.

"I am confident because there is a good team there who need the backing of France. So we must all be calm and all get behind them."

France duo Abou Diaby and Jeremy Toulalan are touch and go for their World Cup 2010 play-off first-leg clash.

Lyon's defensive midfielder Toulalan suffered a knock during the 5-5 draw with Marseille last weekend while Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger had already ruled Diaby out.

However, the French medical team feel he is fit enough to be part of the squad despite a calf injury and it remains to be seen if he makes the Croke Park encounter.