Mimglow Posted May 18, 2004 Share Posted May 18, 2004 Saha named in French Euro 2004 squad CLAIREFONTAINE, France, May 18 (Reuters) - England-based strikers Louis Saha and Sylvain Wiltord were celebrating as France coach Jacques Santini unveiled his 23-man squad for next month's Euro 2004 finals on Tuesday. Santini opted for Manchester United's Saha and Wiltord of Arsenal as back-up for automatic first choices Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet. The biggest suprise, however, came in Santini's timing. He made his announcement well before UEFA deadline of June 2, breaking with the tradition set by predecessors Aime Jacquet and Roger Lemerre. 'We wanted to start preparing for the tournament as soon as possible,' Santini said at a news conference at Clairefontaine training camp where the players gathered on Monday. 'I felt the need to spare the players unnecessary pressure.' Santini said he known his final squad for some time but had waited for the green light from team doctor Jean-Marcel Ferret before making the official announcement. Thirty-one players had been summoned to Clairefontaine and underwent medical tests on Monday. 'There is no question mark left about the shape of the 23 players who are going to play the European championship,' Santini said. 'I knew where I was going and today's list is only the confirmation of what I saw throughout the season.' Saha won Santini's vote after his move from Fulham to Manchester United this season while the coach kept faith with Wiltord even though he made few appearances for English champions Arsenal this season because of injury. 'It's a great relief and I'm really happy,' he said. Saha benefited from the absence of AJ Auxerre's Djibril Cisse who was given a four-match ban by UEFA for kicking an opponent in an under-21 game in November. 'I'm aware I'm taking someone else's place but I'm really fit and ready for such a challenge,' Saha said. The 25-year-old marked his international debut with a fine goal in France's 2-0 defeat of Belgium in February. Santini also retained Olympique Marseille Steve Marlet, a player he has often picked despite strong competition. Two Olympique Lyon strikers, Sidney Govou and Peguy Luyindula, missed out even though they helped their team to a third Ligue 1 title in succession. Santini said he held face-to-face meetings with each of the 10 players left out on Tuesday morning. 'Everyone of them was disappointed but I wanted to explain what my options were. I think they deserved an explanation from me, as in several cases the choice was hard to make.' Manchester City's Nicolas Anelka was left out after snubbing a late call-up for an international friendly in November 2002. Monaco midfielders Ludovic Giuly and Jerome Rothen, though, will be in Portugal after a brilliant Champions League campaign. The pair were allowed to return to their club on Tuesday to prepare for the final against Porto in Gelsenkirchen on May 26. 'If anything happens to one of the players still on duty with their clubs I will have the option of picking a replacement,' Santini said. Other leading absentees were AJ Auxerre's defender Philippe Mexes and Werder Bremen midifielder Johan Micoud. Goalkeepers: Fabien Barthez (Olympique Marseille), Gregory Coupet (Olympique Lyon), Mickael Landreau (Nantes) Defenders: Jean-Alain Boumsong (Auxerre), Marcel Desailly (Chelsea), William Gallas (Chelsea), Bixente Lizarazu (Bayern Munich), Willy Sagnol (Bayern Munich), Mikael Silvestre (Manchester United), Lilian Thuram (Juventus). Midfielders: Olivier Dacourt (Roma), Ludovic Giuly (Monaco), Claude Makelele (Chelsea), Benoit Pedretti (Sochaux), Robert Pires (Arsenal), Jerome Rothen (Monaco), Patrick Vieira (Arsenal), Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid) Strikers: Thierry Henry (Arsenal), Steve Marlet (Olympique Marseille), Louis Saha (Manchester United), David Trezeguet (Juventus), Sylvain Wiltord (Arsenal) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimglow Posted May 18, 2004 Author Share Posted May 18, 2004 I certainly hope Desailly isn't a starter. His lack of pace cost Chelsea dearly in the Champions League this year. He's over the hill. Oh, and I've never like him anyway. If I were picking, my French back four would be: Gallas, Lizarazu, Thuram, Silvestre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gian-Luca Posted May 18, 2004 Share Posted May 18, 2004 Surprising that they have no use for Micoud, even if it's just cover for ZZ getting injured. Though I am not really familiar with the three midfielders they've called who play in France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimglow Posted May 18, 2004 Author Share Posted May 18, 2004 Has Dacourt made an impression at Roma? I just remember him from his dismal displays at Leeds. EEESH! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amacpher Posted May 18, 2004 Share Posted May 18, 2004 quote:Originally posted by Mimglow I certainly hope Desailly isn't a starter. His lack of pace cost Chelsea dearly in the Champions League this year. He's over the hill. Oh, and I've never like him anyway. If I were picking, my French back four would be: Gallas, Lizarazu, Thuram, Silvestre. Yeah, their defense looks relatively weak now that I look at it! But the midfield is crazy-good and I think they've surpassed even Brasil with their top 2 strikers! They should be the most exciting team in Portugal, anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimglow Posted May 18, 2004 Author Share Posted May 18, 2004 Should. They have to beat away the ghost of Sénégal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted May 18, 2004 Share Posted May 18, 2004 quote:Originally posted by Mimglow I certainly hope Desailly isn't a starter. His lack of pace cost Chelsea dearly in the Champions League this year. He's over the hill. Oh, and I've never like him anyway. Well, he IS the captain . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimglow Posted May 18, 2004 Author Share Posted May 18, 2004 quote:Originally posted by Daniel Well, he IS the captain . Yes, he is. I always thought he was unfit to be Captain, and the French results since he's been Captain have gone to the tank. I'm not laying all this at his doorstep, but the Captain is often the symbol of the the team's success or failure. Didier Deschamps: Champion Marcel Desailly: ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peschfan Posted May 18, 2004 Share Posted May 18, 2004 No Nicolas Anelka I guess he will be out of the French National team until there is a new coach. I think he should have been called up over Wiltord who has been injured the whole season. Probably is better than Marlet too. Why isnt Micoud there? he has just come off a championship winning season with Werder Bremen. Ousmane Dabo is also a useful creative player to have along too. Laurent Robert and Steed Malbranque have been overlooked, but the midfield is packed with talent. good to see Guily make it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimglow Posted May 18, 2004 Author Share Posted May 18, 2004 Thats' right, I forgot about LAurent RObert.. I would have picked him way before Olivier Dacourt. But then again, I haven't seen him play for Roma. Micoud is a glaring omission. I like the hard line they've taken with "L'enfant Terrible". Gotta love the French for not taking any bullsh*t... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimglow Posted May 19, 2004 Author Share Posted May 19, 2004 Micoud in a fury after France snub http://soccernet.espn.go.com/euro2004/headlinenews?id=301086&cc=5901 PARIS, May 19 (Reuters) - Werder Bremen midfielder Johan Micoud said he was furious with coach Jacques Santini after being left out of the France squad for the Euro 2004 finals. 'I'm really mad at him,' Micoud was quoted as saying by daily L'Equipe on Wednesday. 'I didn't feel like asking him what his reasons were.' Micoud, who helped Werder clinch the German title this season, added that his international career was now probably over. The 31-year-old, who was part of the squad that failed so spectacularly at the 2002 World Cup, was called up for a friendly against the Netherlands in March but was as unconvincing as the rest of the team in the 0-0 draw. When Santini unveiled a preliminary list of 31 players last week, the former Girondins Bordeaux playmaker said he had high hopes of making the final cut. But Santini left him out when he announced his 23-man party on Tuesday. 'I really don't understand. He picked me, he gave me hope,' Micoud said. 'I guess this is over for me now. France will remain a riddle I'll never be able to give an answer to.' France face England, Switzerland and Croatia in Group B in Portugal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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