Seeking redemption

France hoping to make amends for World Cup flop

CLAIREFONTAINE, France (AP) -- France could not have fallen lower than its early exit at the World Cup a year ago. The Confederations Cup offers a first shot at redemption.

Even without Zinedine Zidane and midfield giant Patrick Vieira, France is a hot favorite to extend the title it won in Japan two years ago, and is tipped to meet Brazil in the June 29 final.

Even at the end of a grueling Premier and Champions League season, Arsenal striker Thierry Henry is willing to put off a summer break for another two weeks.

"When we show up, it is with the intention to win. Otherwise, we'd better to stay home," said Henry at France's training camp.

France opens against Colombia in Lyon on Wednesday, before moving to Saint Etienne for the game against Japan on Friday and playing its final Group A game against outsider New Zealand on Sunday at the Stade de France in Saint Denis.

The first-round exit in South Korea last year was a disaster for a team which had won the World Cup 1998, Euro 2000 and the 2001 Confederations Cup in quick succession.

So far, they have made an excellent recovery. In Euro 2004 qualifying, Les Bleus have won all five of their games to cruise toward the finals in Portugal next year, and the succession of veterans appears to move smoothly.

And this is why the Confederations Cup, lambasted by some, is an important test for French coach Jacques Santini. In nine games under Santini, France has lost only once -- 2-0 to the Czech Republic -- and proven prolific in front of goal with 28 strikes.

It is the kind of momentum which should not be lost, Santini said. Especially, an early exit here would look bad on a resume of coach just emerging from his rookie year.

Even when he is absent, Zidane looms large over the team. While he is trying to clinch the Spanish League title with Real Madrid this weekend, Santini has to find a way to replace him, a procedure which will revamp much of France's midfield.

At the World Cup last year, it was especially France inability to compensate for the injured Zidane during the early games which led to the premature exit.

This year, midfield will have to undergo wholesale changes because World Cup veterans Vieira and Emmanuel Petit are also missing. Real's Claude Makelele, a dynamo in defensive midfield, is joining Zidane in the quest for the Spanish title.

"Without Zidane, we will play a line of four in midfield," said Santini.

It could well leave Arsenal's Robert Pires, world renowned for his offensive prowess from midfield, in a much more defensive position. At 29, it would make him a natural leader, if it were not for 34-year-old defender Marcel Desailly, who should earn his 105th cap on Wednesday.

In a tournament with three games in just five days, rotations will be inevitable and France believes it has youth and strength in depth to let most in the 23-man squad play in the tournament without losing much in quality.

Henry keen to make amends

PARIS (Reuters) -- Thierry Henry will be looking to lead by example in the Confederations Cup after a dismal World Cup last year.

In the absence of teammate Zinedine Zidane and Brazil's Ronaldo, both freed for Real Madrid's push for the Spanish league title, the Arsenal striker could steal the limelight.

"I don't know if people are expecting more from me this time," Henry said at France's Clairefontaine training camp southwest of Paris as they prepared for their opening match against Colombia.

Henry did little of note in the Korea/Japan World Cup where France failed to progress from the first round except being sent off half an hour into its second match against Uruguay.

"Whatever the match I'm playing, the fans always kind of expect something from me. Either with France or with my club, people care that I'm on the field and some of them cheer me," he told reporters.

Henry is only 25 but since France's 1998 World Cup victory he is regarded as a match-winner by teammates.

During the 2000 European championship finals, he was named man-of-the-match in his first two games, going on to help France to its second major success in a row.

Role model

"I'm not that old," said Henry, who has been capped 46 times and scored 18 goals for France. "But when young players are called up, the first thing they do is watch you.

"They just look at the way you behave on and off the pitch. My duty is to be beyond reproach, to do whatever I can to help the team win.

"From time to time, I can give them a piece of advice even if I'm not much older than them. But I've been an international for six years now and I've learned many things."

Often playing on the left wing, Henry is almost unstoppable when he is carrying the ball as he can outsprint even the fastest defenders.

The tall, right-footed striker has not only great pace, he can also take sharp free kicks within a distance of 25 meters and he is dangerous with his head in the box.

"If you play for a team which has great quality then there is no excuse for you not to score. Putting the ball in the net is the job of the striker," Henry said.

"This is what he is made for and what he is paid for."

Henry's main weakness is that he is not keen to come back quickly after an attack breaks down to help his teammates defend.

"I would like it sometimes if the team could rely a little bit more on me," he added ruefully.

 

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Both the Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.