Africa calling

Legend has it that when Ray Houghton scooped a half volley over the head of Gianluca Pagliuca to seal a famous 1-0 win over Italy at the 1994 World Cup, Republic of Ireland shook as gravity played its part in pulling thousands of fans back down to earth following leaps of celebration.

That moment at the Giants Stadium in New Jersey followed David O'Leary and Pat Bonner's penalty shoot-out heroics against Romania almost two decades ago while, in Irish football's hall of fame, it came prior to Robbie Keane's injury-time equaliser against Germany in the group stages of the 2002 World Cup.

After a few disappointments, Ireland are once again within touching distance of the World Cup finals and therefore an opportunity to carve new moments to remember. Only a two-legged play-off against 1998 tournament winners France stands between Giovanni Trapattoni's men and a place in South Africa next summer.

That fact is not lost on Kevin Doyle. As the Adamstown-born Wolves striker prepares for the first meeting with Les Bleus in Dublin on Saturday, memories of O'Leary, Bonner, Houghton and Keane are in his thoughts and, having watched the events in Italy, USA and Japan on television as a youngster, he is eager for the chance to help his country to a fresh piece of World Cup history.

"The reason I'm playing football is because Ireland got to the World Cup at Italia '90 and USA '94," he told skysports.com at a recent event to promote EA SPORTS FIFA 10. "To get there myself would be amazing.

"I'm 26, so after this there will be another chance, at most, but that all depends on form and fitness. Now is the chance to really take it. I'm glad that I'll know either way because I've been talking about it and playing in it for two years building up to this. I'm looking forward to finding out either way.

"I remember sitting and watching previous World Cups and the second they were over going out onto the lawn to play football. The biggest thing for Ireland at the 1990 World Cup was beating Romania in the penalty shoot-out when Paddy Bonner saved and David O'Leary scored the winner. The whole country came to a standstill to watch that.

"It is going to a World Cup that cements your place in Irish sport. Playing in it you become a hero in Ireland. I would like to follow in their footsteps, people like Ray Houghton, people who have created magic moments in Irish sport. It would be nice to be given the opportunity to do that."

After helping Ireland to second place in qualifying Group 8, behind defending champions Italy following an undefeated campaign, a place in the 2010 finals would be a highlight of Doyle's notable international career.

Despite only making his competitive debut against European powerhouses Germany in 2006, the former Reading star has already captained his country after Trapattoni handed him the skipper's armband in the absence of strike partner Keane for the friendly with South Africa in September.

With just 28 caps and seven goals to his name, Doyle confesses captaining Ireland at such an early stage came as a shock. But members of his family never doubted a promising teenager would make an impression at the highest level after placing a bet that he would play a competitive international.

He said: "When I was 16 or 17, my brother-in-law and his mate found the odds about when I would play for my country. They got my dad involved and put a bit of money on. I'm not sure what it was, about 150 or 200/1, that I would make a competitive appearance for my country. That came true against Germany and it paid a nice few pounds I think. They didn't seem to think I deserved a percentage, unfortunately!

"The captaincy was very surprising. Mr Trapattoni decided to make me captain, which was the biggest honour of my career so far. It was a friendly match, but that doesn't matter to me. Whether I do it again or not, I'm just delighted to have done it. You could get thrown the armband on the pitch, but it's not the same as leading the team out to the national anthem. Captaining your country is special and there are plenty of pictures, the armband and the jersey kept at home from that."

Doyle also has high praise regarding the impact of Trapattoni, who has successfully taken charge of the likes of Juventus, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich and Italy in a glittering managerial career which began at AC Milan in 1974.

He added: "He has been excellent. What he says goes and there are no questions. He has won everything as a player and a manager more than once. When you listen to him or when he calls you in one-on-one to talk to you, which doesn't happen much but he will say the odd word, you think about the players he has said that to. I think he has managed unbelievable players from (Michel) Platini to Robert Baggio, some of the best players to play football. For me, that is a privilege and you try to take in as much as possible.

"He is very lively. He really tries to get his point across in maybe the Italian way. At first you think, 'he is getting angry here'. But it's not and 30 seconds later he is back smiles and calm. It is just getting used to that different personality."

Doyle moved to Wolves in the summer as Mick McCarthy, manager of Ireland at the 2002 finals, paid a club-record fee in the region of £6.5million to prise him away from second-tier outfit Reading and the forward is in no doubt that the move has helped his international credentials.

He said: "I don't think I could have afforded to stay at Reading in the Championship for another year. With it being a World Cup year, it was imperative that I moved back to the Premier League and to be fit and play well. So far, so good and I have enjoyed my time at Wolves.

"The players are all young, I am one of the oldest at 26, which is very strange. It has been excellent. The manager and everyone has made it very easy for me. I played for Reading for four years and had loads of success so it was difficult leaving them, but I have come to a club where everyone seems to be grounded and just want to do well for each other. They have really brought me on another step."

Kevin Doyle appears in EA SPORTS FIFA 10, out now on all formats. For further information, please visit www.easports.co.uk/fifa