Up To Date france

French coach Raymond Domenech on Monday opted to stick to his squad of 23 players for the World Cup in South Africa next month and not to get a replacement for Lassana Diarra after the star midfielder pulled out because of illness.

Domenech stated on the website of the French Football Federation (FFF) that he is confident that his 23-man squad will perform well in the month-long tournament, scheduled on 11 June-11 July.

“We though about it (calling up a replacement for Diarra) for a long time”, explained the French coach, who initially had 24 players in the camp until the midfielder fell ill. “However, we are placing our confidence in the 23 players here at Tignes, who are really hungry to go to the World Cup finals, and show us that every day”.

Diarra was ruled out from the finals last Saturday after he was diagnosed to have an intestinal disease. The midfielder left Portsmouth for Real Madrid in January last year, having played previously for Arsenal and Chelsea.

With Jeremy Toulalan of Lyon, he formed Domenech’s first choice defensive midfield pair. Diarra played in 10 of the 12 matches of France during their qualification campaign for the 2010 World Cup.

Abou Diaby of Arsenal played in his position during the squad’s training session last Saturday afternoon.

France’s Les Bleus will begin their campaign in the World Cup against Uruguay on 11 June in Cape Town.

French coach Raymond Domenech announced live Tuesday on French TV that Manchester City’s Patrick Vieira will not be part of the Les Bleus squad at the 2010 World Cup.

The decision is going to be twice as heartbreaking for the French midfielder. The Senegal-born playmaker will not only miss the greatest tournament in football, but also miss the first time Africa will host the tournament.

The former French national captain, who will turn 34 in June, is considered a player of global significance and a football hero in France, having numerous achievements in his career. World Cup champion in 1998, finalist in 2006, and winner of Euro 2000, his name will forever be associated with the finest moments of the French national team.

In spite of his colossal reputation, Domenech wasn’t impressed, saying: “He made some efforts but there are times when a choice has to be made”. He did, however, describe his decision as a “wrench”.

“He [Domenech] made his choice. It is a sport choice, I accept it”, said Vieira on Canal Plus Sport after hearing the news on TV.

However, the unstoppable midfielder also revealed that he didn’t appreciate how the French coach delivered the blow. He said, “To learn it at the last moment, it is a just a lack of class. That’s what annoys me the most. Some coaches know how to do it, others do not”.

However, Vieira emphasised that this will not be the end of his football career, saying: “Of course I will continue to play. I’m passionate about and love football. I am lucky to play at a big club that has ambition”.

With his exclusion from the national squad, a chapter of French football’s history has closed.

Raymond Domenech, coach of the French football team, has warned about ‘shooting’ players who can’t put their egos aside for their team’s sake at the 2010 World Cup.

“The lesson is that they must be intelligent and leave their egos behind and think that it is the team that counts, not them”, he said to L’Equipe newspaper. “If they haven’t understood that, I’ll shoot! The final list must be unveiled on June 1″.

He also warned that any player in his provisional team, to be announced on 11 May, who showed a bad attitude prior to the tournament could be jettisoned.

“It’s possible”, Domenech admitted. “The real problem, once again, is that everyone leaves their ego behind. I’ve already told them, I can say it again, insist on it”.

France will be playing warm-up games with Costa Rica on 26 May, in Tunisia after four days, and against China on 4 June before the trip to South Africa.

Their matches in the Group A will start with Uruguay at Cape Town on 11 June. After six days, they will face Mexico at Polokwane, and then the hosts South Africa at Bloemfontein on 22 June.

The French coach said his aim now was to put the team in shape so that they could “perform the best possible on June and go through until July 11″, which is the date of the finals in the World Cup.

He added that he will do what it takes to win, but his team must be persuaded to perform well in the matches.