D Thursday, November 12, 2009 METROSPORT 27 ENGLAND World Cup winner George Cohen fears his old club Fulham may lose manager Roy Hodgson if Liverpool decide to part company with Rafael Benitez. Reds boss Benitez is under intense scrutiny following just one win in their last nine games in all competitions. Fulham continue to punch above their weight in the top flight after qualifying for the Europa League last season and Cohen fears it may not be long before a bigger club tries to tempt him. Roy has done a very commendable job since he has come in and it is only natural clubs with bigger resources keep an eye on him, said the 70-year- old. If he is attracting attention, it means Fulham are doing well. Chelsea right-back Jose Bosingwa will be out for three months after undergoing surgery on his left knee. The 27-year-old sustained the injury in mid-October and will now not return until the New Year. a club statement said: Chelsea Football Club can confirm Jose Bosingwa underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee this week. his recovery time will be approximately three months. The Blues, who lead the Premier league by five points, were, however, buoyed by the news england left-back ashley Cole does not need to go under the knife to rectify his shin injury. THE widow of Germany keeper Robert Enke yesterday revealed the depths of the depression which drove the 32-year-old to suicide. The Hannover No.1 was struck by a train at a railway crossing in northern Germany on Tuesday and died at the scene. Germanys friendly with Chile in Cologne on Saturday has now been called off, while fans gathered at Hannovers ground to sign a book of condolence, leave scarves and light candles in his memory. Enkes widow Teresa bravely told a press conference that Robert had first suffered from depression in 2003 and feared their daughter would be taken away if the illness became public. The couple adopted eight-month-old Leila in May. They had lost their biological daughter, Lara, in 2006 when she died of a rare heart condition, aged just two. Mrs Enke said: He didnt want it to come out because of fear. He was scared of losing Leila. It is the fear of what people will think when you have a child and the father suffers depression. I wanted to help him to get through it. He didnt want to accept help any more. Enke had been omitted from the squad to face Chile but was considered favourite to be first choice for next summers World Cup finals. Germany coach Joachim Low said of the decision to call off the Chile game: We have lost a friend. That is a moment in which you stop, even in football. Black day: Germanys enke FOOTBALLDigest SOCCER wOrld CuP PlaY-OFFs MARCO TARDELLI has warned France the Republic of Ireland believe they can beat them to snatch a place in next summers World Cup finals. The two sides meet at Croke Park on Saturday and then against at the Stade de France in Paris four days later in a play-off which will determine which of them joins the likes of England, Brazil, Italy and Spain in South Africa. Raymond Domenechs star-studded team will be hot favourites to erase the disappointment of missing out on automatic qualification and securing their passage via the back door. However, Giovanni Trapattonis No.2 Tardelli is adamant they should take nothing for granted against the unbeaten Irish. The team believes it is possible to win anything is possible in football, he said. Now we are a good team and we believe we can qualify. The French will arrive in Dublin to- morrow with coach Domenech under intense pressure amid suggestions of disunity within the camp. However, Ireland, despite being less than impressed with some of the com- ments coming from their opponents, Tardelli: Our self-belief is stronger than ever are expecting nothing but the tough- est of tests. Tardelli said: The French team is very good in midfield, the defence and the strikers, there are no prob- lems. They are a very good team and we will need much passion, much character because we need to play a very big match to beat France. The task may be daunting, but Ire- land proved during their Group 8 campaign that they are ready to meet any challenge head-on, and did ex- actly that after drawing twice with reigning champions Italy. Trapattoni has admitted a clean sheet on Saturday could prove crucial to his sides hopes of completing the job in Paris, although Tardelli insists Ireland will not settle for a 0-0 draw. He said: No, we would prefer to win. I would not be happy. Ireland continued their preparations in Malahide yesterday without mid- fielder Liam Miller, who was sent home with a calf injury, while Read- ings Shane Long did not even turn up owing to a similar problem. BY david keNNedY in control: Glenn whelan holds possession during training yesterday SEAN ST. Ledger rates France more highly than World champions Italy, but maintains it is better the devil you know. St. Ledger is set to win his eighth cap in partnering Richard Dunne in the centre of Irelands defence against the French at Croke Park on Saturday as Giovanni Trapattonis men strive for the clean sheet that could make all the difference ahead of the trip to the Stade de France next Wednesday. I dont want to say it, but France, said the 24-year-old Middlesbrough defender when asked who was better, Italy or Les Bleus. But it could be good that they are so familiar to us. Its a benefit to know your opponent and Richard knows Anelka and everyone has played against Thierry Henry. A lot of them play in the Premier League and so you see them every week on Match of the Day. Most of Italys players play in Italy and so you dont see them so much. St. Ledger admits to feeling the most intense pressure of his career but says he is relishing the challenge of it. There is pressure on everybody, no getting round it. It is a huge game to play in and the greatest tournament in the world is the prize.under pressure: seans feeling it No need for extra motivation: domenech Internal pressure the spur for France RAyMOND DOMENECH has told Frances players the pressure must come from within for their make-or- break World Cup play-off against the Republic of Ireland. France travel to Dublin for the first leg on Saturday, with the second match in Paris on Wednesday as the teams compete for a place in South Africa. Domenech has been under immense pressure following Frances poor group campaign, where they lost out to Serbia for the automatic qualifying spot. The France coach said: Saturday is not very far. The match is coming up little by little. I dont want it [the pressure] to build up. The pressure well, its internal. If the players dont have it inside them, which is what I told them at the outset, it means were cheating ourselves, that weve got nothing to do here. Its not worth insisting on it. There are matches which dont need external pressure. Its here the players want to go to the World Cup. If they are not motivated, prepared and dont have the desire to put themselves in the right conditions ... well, Im sorry, theres nothing more to add. They are ready. Its not worth adding an excess of pressure. Meanwhile, former France captain Zinedine Zidane is expecting Les Bleus to triumph and has called on the fans to get behind their national side. This will be particularly difficult, because it will be a fight there [in Ireland], said the 37-year- old. Well have to resist and after that will be the match in France. But Im confident. I am confident because there is a good team there who need the backing of France. So we must all be calm and all get behind them. Germany mourns tragic Enke Picture: Sportsfile Les Bleus are better than Italy index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html24.html25.html26.html27.html