Marco Tardelli is keeping his fingers crossed that the Republic of Ireland avoid France in the World Cup play-off draw.

The Irish, who bring down the curtain on their Group Eight campaign against Montenegro at Croke Park on Wednesday evening, have already booked their place in the draw as a result on Saturday night's heart-stopping 2-2 draw with reigning champions Italy.

They will not be among the four seeds, and therefore will find themselves pitched into battle with one of the quartet of strongest sides among the eight qualifiers, and that list seems likely to comprise France, Portugal, Russia and Greece.

However, assistant boss Tardelli, who like manager Giovanni Trapattoni came close to upsetting his home nation at the weekend, has his own ideas about how he would like next Monday's draw to go.

Asked for his preferred opponents, the Italian World Cup winner said: "All the teams are very good.

"But I would prefer Greece, maybe - and I would prefer not to meet France, because France have many good players, as do Portugal."

Trapattoni and Tardelli put the players through their paces in Malahide once again today as they shook off the disappointment of Italy's late equaliser, which dashed their hopes of a late charge for automatic qualification.

Had they held out, victory in Wednesday night's game would have been enough to send them to South Africa had the Italians slipped up at home to Cyprus, admittedly an unlikely scenario.

However, although there has been much talk of dead rubbers in the days since, that view is simply not being countenanced within the Irish camp as they attempt to negotiate their 10th and final match having not yet lost during the campaign.

Tardelli said: "It's very important for the players. We don't want to lose because it is important to arrive at the end of the group stage without a defeat.

"That's important for us. The English team lost and other important teams have lost, and it's important for the Irish team to arrive at the end undefeated."

What is also important for the Republic is that, with midfielder Glenn Whelan suspended for the Montenegro game after picking up his second yellow card against Italy, three other key men - Shay Given, Keith Andrews and Aiden McGeady - as well as young striker Leon Best, do not follow suit ahead of the play-offs.

Asked if that was a consideration for Trapattoni, Tardelli replied: "Giovanni is thinking about that.

Given, of course, will win his 100th senior cap, as will Kevin Kilbane if selected, and while Trapattoni has indicated he does not believe there is a great risk of the 33-year-old keeper picking up a second caution, he may not finish the game if he starts it.

Had Alberto Gilardino not netted his late equaliser on Saturday, both men could have reached the landmark on a massive party night at Croke Park.

However, their achievement is one which has impressed even the much-decorated Tardelli.

He said: "I am very envious because I played only 85 matches for my team. They must be very proud to play 100 matches for their country."

Given has been a mainstay for his country since making his debut against Russia in March 1996, and Tardelli rates only one keeper any higher than him in world football.

He said: "I have said many times that Shay is the second best goalkeeper in the world, that's my opinion. [Italy's Gianluigi] Buffon is first and after him, Shay Given."

Meanwhile, Fulham winger Damien Duff was able to train with his team-mates once again today after recovering from the calf injury which kept him out of the Italy game, and is in contention to return against Montenegro.