Shay Given has his mind set firmly on World Cup qualification when he leads his country out against Poland.

The 32-year-old Newcastle keeper will wear the armband in the absence of the injured Robbie Keane as he collects his 91st senior international cap at Croke Park.

However, while the game may only be a friendly as manager Giovanni Trapattoni's side look to end the calendar year by maintaining their six-game unbeaten run under the Italian, Given knows there is plenty at stake against the Poles.

Trapattoni will use the game to further hone the system he has employed during his reign to date, and to look at some of the players trying to force their way into his plans as he prepares for the resumption of the qualifying campaign in February.

Given said: "The manager has come in and given us a real belief in the squad that we are good enough to qualify from this group.

"It's a very tough group, obviously - the world champions are in the group - but in European football, there are no easy games anymore.

"On the last trip, we watched the video of the Cyprus v Italy game before we played Cyprus, and Cyprus should have won the game 4-1, 5-1 out in Cyprus.

"Italy scored a goal in the last minute to win the game 2-1. It is so tough, qualifying, there are no easy games anymore.

"But he (Trapattoni) has come in and he has given us a belief and a confidence within the team that we can go out there and play Italy and play these teams and get the results.

"That has given everyone involved with the country a huge boost. It is all about qualifying for South Africa, that's the most important thing."

Ireland currently sit in second place in Group Eight behind Trapattoni's native Italy having collected seven points from a possible nine with victories over Georgia and Cyprus and a hard-fought draw in Montenegro.

Hull striker Caleb Folan will replace the injured Keane up front, while Manchester United midfielder Darron Gibson will win a second cap in a midfield quartet that will also feature Wolves striker Andy Keogh.

Given said: "It's all about qualifying for the World Cup and it is the only chance the manager will get to look at new players and look at new players in different positions.

"This time, for example, Robbie Keane is out injured and it is a chance for Caleb Folan or whoever else to come in and play.

"Robbie could miss a big qualifying campaign and the manager needs to know who he should play instead of him.

"It's important in that sense. The game tomorrow night will probably be a unique friendly in the sense that there will be a lot of Polish there as well because half of Ireland has been taken over by Poland!

"It's a home friendly for them as well, I think, and it should add to the atmosphere of the night.

"It's better for the players of both teams that there will be a good atmosphere."

Given will wear the armband for the second time having led out Ireland against Slovakia in March last year, and he is thrilled by the prospect.

He said: "It was one of the proudest moments for me to be captain when winning my 80th cap against Slovakia, and to lead the team out again tomorrow at Croke Park is fantastic.

"We won the last game 1-0, so hopefully we will win this game as well.

"Just to have the armband on and to have the team coming behind you is pretty special - it's a long way from Lifford in Donegal (his home-town club) to leading an Irish team out at Croke Park."

Trapattoni had little hesitation in turning to Given, a man he has more than once compared favourably to Italian legend Gianluigi Buffon.

He said: "Shay is a bit like Buffon. It is not nice to make comparisons, but their personalities and qualities are the same."