German skipper Michael Ballack has insisted his side must put behind them everything achieved over the summer and quickly readjust to the grind of qualifying if they are to avoid hitting the ground with a bump after their World Cup high.

"We have to be clear that the World Cup is over now," the 29-year-old told journalists in Stuttgart yesterday. "We have to forget about it now because to think about finishing third (in the World Cup) is just to create pressure for the team, and if there is too much of that you win nothing.

"The other problem for us is that many of the younger players don't really know about what it is like to play in a qualifying campaign because we didn't have one last time.

"It's understandable because the World Cup was like a present to us in that way. We got there without having to qualify and then we played all of our games at home. We were all on a cloud, and as captain I have an important part to play in getting everybody back on to the ground again.

"We have not played a competitive game away from home in three years and so we must get used to the idea that there will be tough games - in Wales, Ireland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic - where the crowd will not be behind us as they were in the summer. We won't be able to take anything for granted in any of those places."

Like most Germans, Ballack seems confident of winning on home soil this weekend, though he insists Germany's defensive problems mean he and Torsten Frings must work hard to contain Ireland in the centre.

"At the World Cup I had to change my style of play because defensively we were weak and to be honest I didn't expect it to work so well," he said. "Now, because of all the injuries, we have problems in defence again and so the midfield will be needed to help out . . . more than ever. It will be important that we play our part if we are to win this game."

Those defensive concerns were eased somewhat yesterday when Hertha Berlin's Arne Friedrich apparently came through training without any difficulties. The centre back had been rated doubtful for the game earlier in the week with a stomach problem but now looks certain to partner Manuel Friedrich of Mainz at the heart of the home side's defence.

Ballack, meanwhile, had some harsh words for striker Lukas Podolski after the 21-year-old suggested in an interview at the weekend that he missed the last coach, Jürgen Klinsmann.

"Lukas may feel a little insecure now," said the team's skipper, "because he misses a man who used to hold his hand all the time."