Ireland eagerly anticipates clash with France to qualify for World Cup

Former Irish football manager Brian Kerr tells today’s Irish Times that he is confident France can be beaten in the upcoming playoffs for World Cup qualification. “I have seen their games and we were more than surprised they did not finish top of their group but they have lost one game and drawn three while we have shown that we can get results away as well as at home. All of this will strengthen our conviction and belief that we can get a result."

Elsewhere, the paper comments on French coach, Raymond Domenech’s reference to Ireland as an “English B side”. The comments could come back to haunt him, says the Irish Times. If France fails to qualify, it’s almost certainly the end of the line for Domenech.

Other stories covered in today’s international papers:

The Guardian
A catalogue of errors that cost Karzai victory

The International Herald Tribune
Roger Cohen calls for an “enduring effort” in the Afghan war.

Teheran Times
This English-language Iranian daily leads with last weekend’s terrorist attack that killed scores of Iranians near the Pakistani border. Jundallah, a Pakistan-based terrorist group has claimed responsibility for that attack. The leader of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard said on Monday that Iran has documents showing direct ties between Jundallah and the US and British as well as ‘unfortunately’ Pakistani intelligence organizations.

Daily Telegraph
Regarding Iranian claims that the US and Britain were involved in Sunday’s attack, the Daily Telegraph says it just isn’t possible, at least according to an article in the New Yorker. The article claims no US funding could have reached Jundallah in the last few years. “The Iranian regime is peopled by conspiracy theorists,” says the Daily Telegraph. “Those who dismiss the threat of a nuclear Iran should appreciate this.”