Best: I'll be ready for French test; Sky Blues striker battling to keep his nerves in check ahead of big games: Leon: I'm getting closer to a starting place.

Byline: Andy Turner 

LEON BEST is hoping his nerves don't get the better of him as he prepares for the two biggest games of his life.

The Coventry City striker is in the Republic of Ireland squad to face France in a World Cup playoff double header starting at Croke Park, Dublin, on Saturday and being decided at the Stade de France in Paris days later.

And after making good progress for his country and clearly impressing coach Giovanni Trapattoni, the 23-year-old is confident he can play a part in the makeor-break matches that will determine whether or not he goes to the finals in South Africa next summer.

"There are massive nerves there but I think you need that to get you through a little bit," said the centre-forward, whose recent performances for the Sky Blues have been watched by Scottish giants Celtic.

Best goes into the internationals in good form after becoming City's leading scorer last Friday when he notched his seventh goal of the season in the 2-1 defeat at Derby County to edge in front of Clinton Morrison.

"It will be games in two unbelievable stadiums and it is the World Cup we are talking about and I would just love us to get through," he said. "It would be such a massive thing in my career and to score the winning goal would be the icing on the cake to get Ireland through, but we will see what happens. But I would love that." But Best knows the size of the task facing him and his compatriots against the former World champions, who find themselves in the unlikely and uncomfortable position of being unable to secure automatic qualification. "I had mixed feelings about the draw because France are an unbelievable team who you expect to qualify automatically," he said. "But I don't think they are playing as well as they could. It is all on the next two games and it is a bit like the cup really, it is howyou play on the day. But we will definitely be up for it and hopefully we will have a bit of luck on our side." And Best is a long-time admirer of not only the competition but also France.

"I remember when they won the World Cup and I think Zinedine Zidane scored a penalty," he said. "They beat Brazil and I always watched every game Ronaldo played in but I think he had a migraine before the game and although he played but he wasn't really on his game and Zidane stole the show. "Some of my idols play for them - David Trezeguet, Thierry Henry, Nicolas Anelka and Louis Saha. Franck Ribery is out injured but they have just got world-class players all round the team." As for his chances of getting a decent run in the games, he added: "The more I have been playing for Ireland the closer I have been coming to a start. I was the third sub then second sub and first sub on in the last game, so I am getting closer and that is definitely a positive. "We play at Croke Park first in front of a big crowd. It is so hard and we would love a 3-0win at home to take to their place and then try to hold on to it. "A lot of it will be down to a bit of luck and who can hold their nerve."

CAPTION(S):

WORLD STAGE... Leon Best is hoping to play a part for Ireland in their World Cup play-off games against France. HERO... Thierry Henry.