The ghosts of the past haunt France and England

England's Italian coach Fabio Capello. The ghosts of the recent past will haunt France and England as former world champions to undertake crucial week the World Cup 2010 qualifiers

England's Italian coach Fabio Capello. The ghosts of the recent past will haunt France and England as former world champions to undertake crucial week the World Cup 2010 qualifiers
PARIS (AFP) - The ghosts of the recent past will haunt France and England as former world champions to undertake crucial week the World Cup 2010 qualifiers.

Memories of England was the only triumph in sepia-tinted which dates back to 1966 - but at least it picked up three points, albeit at the expense of little Andorra in their opening game, while a course were capitulating 3-1 to France Austria.

Memories of France's 1998 triumph are a bit cooler - but in football terms is eons away from that level in Vienna, giving a trio of soft goals make it imperative that a victory over Serbia in the Stade de France on Wednesday.

But England is that the ghosts are the closest chronologically as head of Zagreb to take on a Croatian side that did the double over them in the Euro 2008 qualifiers.

Those defeats exposed the chasm that has opened between the kudos of a game undeniable internal crowded with foreigners and a national team hyped up compared with a "golden generation" that stubbornly refused to glitter under Sven-Goran Eriksson, and Then the hapless Steve McClaren.

Under the sergeant-majorish approach for Fabio Capello and England know your new order another failure for a big tournament is not acceptable - and Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard acknowledged as much. "I think we have under-achieved as a group in the last couple of years - that's a fact" admitted Lampard.

"Technically they are very good," said Lampard of Croats.

"The whole world was in arms that we beat twice in the Euro 2008 qualifiers but ended up being the dark horses of the euro. They are not to be taken lightly. To have three points already in the bag does indeed help."

For Capello, "Croatia will be another game, not as Andorra."

But with the potential banana skin safely negotiated Andorra the Italian said he believed his squad now show their worth. "Are England good enough to achieve a result: Yes, I think so. I am confident in my team," he insisted.

With only the group winner guaranteed a place in the finals in South Africa - the best brokers face playoffs - a tie seems a minimum requirement against its major rivals. The Croats, and reinforced by the news that Slaven Bilic will stay in the hotseat and not return to former club West Ham, put aside Kazakhstan, who host England on October 11, in their opener.

France, meanwhile, still seems shell-shocked from their sad euro which collapsed in Austria, a loss that would increase the pressure on beleaguered coach Raymond Domenech, which remains, nevertheless, in defiant mood. "This event does not basa in a game. Of course I prefer to have taken the points - but said we were going to win every game? We will be ready to take in Serbia on Wednesday," insisted the eccentric Domenech, adding he believed the burning desire to win firmly inside a unit in a transitional period.

"This is a young team but I'm not worried about it," Domenech concluded.

Despite this, the French group is open wildcard with the Serbs having seen off the Faeroe Islands and a talented but unpredictable Romania failed to benefit from the French sliding backward to a home loss 3 -- 0 to Lithuania.

Lithuania now face the Austrians, while Domenech is hope that a visit to the camp world champion French goalkeeper Fabien Barthez will boost morale. "He has the qualities necessary and can pass on their experience," said Domenech.

France may suffer, though, since the closure of part of the stadium capacity reduction of around 45,000 to 80,000 - a suggestion by the French Federation was quick to reject the idea and fans who had "fallen in love" with the side euros since 2008.

Germany, meanwhile, are seemingly on the rise once again having reached the final of Euro 2008 and started their World Cup road to South Africa with a 6-0 swatting of Liechtenstein.

Joachim Loew now takes his charges to Finland promising more of the same group before rivals Russia, Wednesday to host Wales, come calling next month. "Let's go for the victory and try to play attacking football in Finland as we did in Liechtenstein - although the Finns are a much better," said Loew.

Schalke defender Christian Pander will sit out the game with a virus for the Germans, who will be wary after drawing away and at home with the Finns in qualifying seven years ago.

Champions Georgia host Italy in the world without midfield stalwart Gennaro Gattuso, who injured his wrist in training, while defenders Fabio Grosso and Alessandro Gamberini are also having suffered injuries in the fortuitous 2-1 win at the weekend in Cyprus.

Coach Marcello Lippi, who we hope will brace Saturday scorer Antonio Di Natale Dons his shooting boots again, has avoided the possibility of requiring derramas replacements, however.