New France coach plans to rely on team veterans

[Fr. Murphy]

PARIS, July 29 (Reuters) - New France coach Raymond Domenech will continue to rely on the team's veterans and said on Thursday that Zinedine Zidane had given no indication he wanted to retire from international soccer.

"I have nothing in principle against the veteran players. They still have a lot to offer, I am relying on them," Domenech told a news conference.
Domenech, appointed on July 12 after champions France were knocked out of the Euro 2004 quarter-finals, said he would talk soon to Zidane, 32, face to face about his future.

"Of course I talked to him (Zidane), we had a telephone conversation. He never told me he was thinking of retiring.

[eirebhoy]

France are certainly beatable in Paris with a shíte centre half partnership of Gallas and Silvestre. For some reason I would actually prefer Zidane to stay.

[tetsujin1979]

You do get the impression that if Zidane plays, there could be the mentality of "let's give him the ball and beat opposition all by himself" in the French side, whereas without him there could be a greater desire to play together.