Montenegro coach
Zoran Filipovic says he predicted that Ireland will finish 2nd in Group
8 after
just two matches. He was impressed by
Giovanni Trapattoni's side when they visited
Podgorica in September last year, and he believes we can get through the play-offs and qualify for
South Africa.
The Montenegrins arrived in
Dublin
yesterday without their two stars, their captain
Roma's
Mirko Vucinic is injured, while the 'Montenegrin Messi'
Stevan Jovetic -- who scored twice against
Liverpool in
Fiorentina's Champions League win last month -- is suspended.
Filipovic thinks the match should be open, "I said it after the game (in Podgorica) Ireland had a big chance to
finish second. And I was right," he said. "Ireland came only to get a
point that day and they knew how to.
"They have a tactical discipline and more defensive concentration
under Trapattoni. They are good on the counter-attack and resemble an
Italian club side."
And on our play-off hopes, "It depends on the opponents of course. They would find it difficult
against
France or
Russia,
but they always have a chance. They will fight for sure," he said.