France: Vieira and Benzema left out

[Lazie]

Manchester City midfielder Patrick Vieira and Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema have been omitted from France's 30-man preliminary squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™.
Vieira returned to the English Premier League from Inter Milan in January and recovered some of his form, but not enough to impress Les Bleus coach Raymond Domenech.
Benzema, who has had a less than fruitful season with Madrid, has also missed out on selection for the squad, as has midfielder Samir Nasri, whose Arsenal team-mates Gael Clichy, William Gallas, Abou Diaby and Bacary Sagna are included.
Franck Ribery, who is sweating over his participation in Bayern Munich's UEFA Champions League final with Inter on 22 May with the Bundesliga champions appealing his ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, is included.
Three members of Marseille's Ligue 1-winning squad - goalkeeper Steve Mandanda and forwards Hatem Ben Arfa and Mathieu Valbuena - are named, as are two Chelsea players, Nicolas Anelka and Florent Malouda.
France were drawn in Group A alongside hosts South Africa, Mexico and Uruguay, their opponents in their first game in Cape Town on 11 June.
Squad: Cedric Carrasso (Bordeaux), Mickael Landreau (Lille), Hugo Lloris (Lyon), Steve Mandanda (Marseille); Eric Abidal (Barcelona), Gael Clichy (Arsenal), Patrice Evra (Manchester United), Rod Fanni (Rennes), William Gallas (Arsenal), Marc Planus (Bordeaux), Adil Rami (Lille), Anthony Reveillere (Lyon), Bacary Sagna (Arsenal), Sebastien Squillaci (Sevilla); Abou Diaby (Arsenal), Alou Diarra (Bordeaux), Lassana Diarra (Real Madrid), Yoann Gourcuff (Bordeaux), Yann M'Vila (Rennes), Florent Malouda (Chelsea), Jeremy Toulalan (Lyon); Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea), Hatem Ben Arfa (Marseille), Jimmy Briand (Rennes), Djibril Cisse (Panathinaikos), Andre-Pierre Gignac (Toulouse), Sidney Govou (Lyon), Thierry Henry (Barcelona), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich), Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille).

[Lazie]

Wha him ago duh wid 3 left back? Eric Abidal (Barcelona), Gael Clichy (Arsenal), Patrice Evra (Manchester United). Look like Gael ago get cut.

[Lazie]

Vieira: Domenech lacks class

Patrick Vieira has attacked French coach Raymond Domenech for ''a lack of class'' for the way he found out that he would miss out on inclusion in their World Cup squad.

GettyImagesPatrick Vieira will not go with France this summer



• Marshall: Domenech's "fresh" approach
• France omit Benzema, Vieira
• Domenech warning for Gallas
Vieira moved to Manchester City in January to try and force his way into contention for South Africa, but only found out that he was not going when Domenech announced his squad live on TV on Tuesday night and has attacked his boss for a ''lack of class''.
"As the national team coach had sporting criterions, I can accept the decision without any problems,'' he told Canal + Sport. "However, I didn't receive any phone call with him for six months, even if I always had a good relationship with him, even when he was in trouble.
"Considering my number of caps (107 caps) and years in the French team, I would have liked more frankness, a phone call.
"Now I have turned the French team's page. I would have preferred him to tell me, 'You don't have the right level anymore, there are young players better than you. Mourinho did it at Inter, and I accepted it.
"Discovering it at the last moment, in front of the TV, that tactlessness, lack of class, which is what affected me the most. But that won't erase all the beautiful years I spent in blue. Will I finish my career? No. I am sure I won't stop my footballing career."
Domenech earlier confirmed it had been a very difficult decision to leave out Vieira.
He said: "Patrick Vieira, it is the most delicate choice. We talked with Pat, we tried to plan for the World Cup. It has been a wrench. It is a real moment of emotion. It was difficult considering the whole season."

[Lazie]

Domenech warning for Gallas

Raymond Domenech has warned William Gallas he will be removed from France's 30-man provisional World Cup squad if he cannot prove his fitness by the start of the tournament.

Gallas missed the final few weeks of the Premier League season for Arsenal after suffering a leg injury in March, but was named in Domenech's initial party for his country. However, the coach has offered no assurances he will remain in the final 23-man group unless he is fully fit.
''William is one of the uncertainties, who are in the extended list but there is no guarantee of playing,'' Domenech said. ''If he is fully operational he will be involved. If he is not he will be sent home.''
Striker Karim Benzema, 22, was omitted from the preliminary squad after a below-par first season with Real Madrid although Domenech remained hopeful he could bounce back.
''He had a difficult year and I make my choices not always on the most visible criteria,'' he said. ''(But) he is at an age that allows him to still fight to return as soon as possible to the France squad.
''It's a difficult moment for me, too. He has made efforts but there is a time to make choices. It's complicated. I know what it is like for the players, but I'm not sure the players imagine how hard it is for the coach.''
Gallas was one of four Arsenal players included in the squad - along with Arsenal team-mates Gael Clichy, Abou Diaby and Bacary Sagna but Samir Nasri missed out along with former Gunner Patrick Vieira.
''It's great to see so many Arsenal players in the squad but the news of Nasri has put things in perspective,'' he told L'Equipe. ''At these moments there is nothing one can say. I have not called him yet but no words can soothe him. He misses a World Cup.
''They (Nasri, Vieira and Benzema) must be surprised and disappointed. They are among the players who are regularly called up.''

[Me]

Manchester City midfielder Patrick Vieira and Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema have been omitted from France's 30-man preliminary squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™.
Vieira returned to the English Premier League from Inter Milan in January and recovered some of his form, but not enough to impress Les Bleus coach Raymond Domenech.
Benzema, who has had a less than fruitful season with Madrid, has also missed out on selection for the squad, as has midfielder Samir Nasri, whose Arsenal team-mates Gael Clichy, William Gallas, Abou Diaby and Bacary Sagna are included.
Franck Ribery, who is sweating over his participation in Bayern Munich's UEFA Champions League final with Inter on 22 May with the Bundesliga champions appealing his ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, is included.
Three members of Marseille's Ligue 1-winning squad - goalkeeper Steve Mandanda and forwards Hatem Ben Arfa and Mathieu Valbuena - are named, as are two Chelsea players, Nicolas Anelka and Florent Malouda.
France were drawn in Group A alongside hosts South Africa, Mexico and Uruguay, their opponents in their first game in Cape Town on 11 June.
Squad: Cedric Carrasso (Bordeaux), Mickael Landreau (Lille), Hugo Lloris (Lyon), Steve Mandanda (Marseille); Eric Abidal (Barcelona), Gael Clichy (Arsenal), Patrice Evra (Manchester United), Rod Fanni (Rennes), William Gallas (Arsenal), Marc Planus (Bordeaux), Adil Rami (Lille), Anthony Reveillere (Lyon), Bacary Sagna (Arsenal), Sebastien Squillaci (Sevilla); Abou Diaby (Arsenal), Alou Diarra (Bordeaux), Lassana Diarra (Real Madrid), Yoann Gourcuff (Bordeaux), Yann M'Vila (Rennes), Florent Malouda (Chelsea), Jeremy Toulalan (Lyon); Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea), Hatem Ben Arfa (Marseille), Jimmy Briand (Rennes), Djibril Cisse (Panathinaikos), Andre-Pierre Gignac (Toulouse), Sidney Govou (Lyon), Thierry Henry (Barcelona), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich), Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille).

He plays Abidal in the center sometimes.

[Lazie]

He plays Abidal in the center sometimes.

Okay! Is a defender I don't rate still. He may well prove me wrong next month.

[Me]

I can't say I have ever been a fan either. Doesn't seem to be that great going forward or defending.

[Hortical]

Domenech acted poorly in this regard and a man who has done so much for the French national team deserves more respect!