Minasyan respects Republic's credentials

Armenia coach Vardan Minasyan has installed the Republic of Ireland as one of the favourites to emerge from Euro 2012 qualifying Group B.

However, the 36-year-old is determined to do everything within his powers to dent the Irish challenge as they launch their campaign in Yerevan on Friday evening.

Minasyan freely admits his own side are currently at the development stage with several of the players members of the Under-21 squad which defeated Ireland home and away during the current qualification tournament at that level.

But while he expects Russia and Ireland to be the big guns in the group, he is confident Armenia will play their part.

He said: 'This is a strong group, but the favourites are Russia and Ireland.

'Slovakia and Macedonia are also strong teams, but I think Russia and Ireland will finish above them.

'But every team goes out onto the pitch to win. Of course, we understand that Ireland are a strong team, but we will try to stop them.

'I have seen the last two matches and they are very strong, very aggressive. They are a very good team and I saw that especially in the second half against Argentina.

'But every team has its strengths and weaknesses and we will try to win. A win would give us a lot of confidence.

'But of course, a draw would be a good result too.'

Armenia lost 3-1 to neighbouring Iran in a home friendly last month and Minasyan is realistic about their prospects in this campaign.

He said: 'Our team is new and we must play together to become stronger and stronger.

'Of course, we expect results, but it's too early to talk about that at this stage.

'I hope this team will grow stronger.'

However, the coach has ordered those players who did feature in the Under-21s victories over Ireland - they won 4-1 in Yerevan last November and 2-1 in Dublin in March - to put those successes out of their minds.

He said: 'We cannot compare this game with those two because the national Under-21 teams play at a completely different level.

'Not every player from the Ireland Under-21 team plays in the Premier League in England.

'This is another level, another experience.'

It is another experience for Minasyan too as he pits his wits against 71-year Giovanni Trapattoni.

The Armenia boss said with a smile: 'It will be interesting. He [Trapattoni] is a very famous coach and a very strong coach - he showed that in the games against France.

'It will be interesting for me. I am a young coach and I have a long way to go.'

However, for all his relative inexperience, Minasyan was not about to allow himself to fall into the trap of underestimating an Ireland squad which has lost four players - Damien Duff, Keith Andrews, Keith Treacy and Paul McShane - to injury, while the likes of Shay Given and skipper Robbie Keane have had little club action so far this season.

He said: 'It doesn't matter if they play or not because Ireland have high-quality players and if they are not playing, they have a lot of other choices.'

Trapattoni's men will have to cope with the heat in Yerevan - the temperature was still over 30C when they landed shortly before midnight last night - and a partisan crowd, which is expected to amount to around 12,000 at the city's Republican Stadium.