Source: Team_Talk
Aiden aims to teach French respect
While several of Raymond Domenech's English-based players have publicly warned their team-mates they face a battle at Croke Park in Saturday night's World Cup play-off game, some of the noises coming out of the French camp have been less than complimentary.[LNB]However, that has simply served to increase the hunger among Giovanni Trapattoni's men to prove themselves when it matters most.[LNB]McGeady said: "You would never hear any of the boys in our camp having a go at the French team, even though if they were the same team they were a couple of years ago, they would have qualified in first place.[LNB]"But I am not going to get into a war of words with the French team because they are filled with top, top players and they could go and destroy any team on their day - but hopefully not on Saturday or Wednesday."[LNB]The prize at stake is a trip to South Africa next summer, and McGeady is in little doubt as to where that would stand in his own personal list of achievements.[LNB]He said: "It would definitely be up there, maybe as number one, to be honest with you.[LNB]"As you are growing up, you dream of playing at a World Cup, and some of the boys have been lucky enough to play at one already.[LNB]"I just want to be part of that. I just want to do it on the world stage, and everybody else in the squad is the same boat as me.[LNB]"They want to get there again if they have not already been there. That would be a massive achievement."[LNB]The two-legged tie has been billed, probably quite accurately, as a clash between French flair and pace and Irish passion and doggedness.[LNB]Ireland know all about the threat represented by Thierry Henry, Nicolas Anelka and Karim Benzema, and while Trapattoni insists he has world-class stars - Shay Given and Robbie Keane to name two - he freely acknowledges he does not have them in the kind of depth his opposite number enjoys.[LNB]But McGeady, one of the men who at his best has the ability to cause problems for the French, is relishing the challenge.[LNB]He said: "You can't compare the French team with us. We are a totally different outfit.[LNB]"They are filled with household names, world-class players from one to 11; we are a slightly different team.[LNB]"But as a creative player, the onus is on you to go and create and that's what I enjoy doing."[LNB]The game cannot come quickly enough for 23-year-old McGeady in particular as he attempts to bounce back from a difficult few weeks with his club, Celtic.[LNB]Derby defeat by Old Firm rivals Rangers, coupled with draws against Motherwell and at the weekend, Falkirk, have been greeted by a flurry of criticism, and a disappointing Europa League campaign has done little to ease the rumblings in Glasgow.[LNB]McGeady said: "It's really only since the last international break we have started to play poorly as a team at Celtic.[LNB]"Games against Motherwell, Hearts, losing there, European League games - it's been a poor month for us.[LNB]"But this is a good distraction. Hopefully, next Thursday, I will be going back to Glasgow delighted."[LNB]That said, the criticism from outside is not what gets to McGeady.[LNB]He said: "I just get down when I know we have not played well ourselves and I have not played well myself.[LNB]"I don't take too much notice of the stick we have been getting, the flak, it's more myself.[LNB]"I would get down personally, that's me as a player. I think about it all the time, and I am sure a lot of players are the same.[LNB]"But whatever goes on in the papers and people taking about your team doesn't affect me."[LNB]A play-off victory would provide the perfect tonic for McGeady, as would finally opening his international goal account after 29 appearances without finding the back of the net.[LNB]The midfielder said: "At Celtic, I have set myself a target of, say, 10, 12 goals this season.[LNB]"I have got four so far, but 10, 12 goals is what I am looking for, it is what any midfielder with aspirations to play in the top leagues has to set himself.[LNB]"But internationally, I need to improve on that front as well."[LNB][LNB] Rep Ireland v France 1st Goalscorer: McGeady, A. 14/1
