Nice-Première: What do you think about the list of 23 players and the choice of Barthez as number 1?
Virginie Rossetti: I am not surprised by the list of 23 and generally agree with this choice. As for Barthez, the decision does not surprise me at all… since the return of the three veterans, I was convinced that Domenech would opt for Barthez to recreate the dynamics of ’98 and 2000.
Eric Roy: It’s the coach’s list. If there were 10 coaches, there would be 10 different lists. Of course, there is a core group of essential players, then the rest is a matter of choice, of affinities. There are players who might have deserved a place on this list like Mexes, Guily, Dacourt, or Micoud. Nevertheless, we are all behind this French Team. Barthez as number 1, it’s a choice for international experience and World Cup experience, even though based on intrinsic skills and last season’s matches, Coupet might have hoped for better.
Roger Ricort: The coach, who works all year round, is best placed to decide on the list of 23, even though everyone is free to have their opinion.
Nice-Première: Can you give me the typical starting lineup for the Blues?
VR: Barthez – Sagnol, Thuram, Gallas, Abidal – Viera, Makelele, Zidane, Ribéry – Henry, Cissé
ER: Barthez – Sagnol, Thuram, Gallas, Abidal (or Sylvestre) – Makelele, Viera – Wiltord, Zidane – Trézéguet, Henry
RR : Barthez – Sagnol, Thuram, Gallas, Abidal – Makelele, Vieira – Wiltord, Zidane – Trézéguet, Henry
Nice-Première: Who do you think will be the surprise team of the World Cup, like Turkey in 2002 or Greece in 2004?
VR: Germany at home and Switzerland.
ER: I’m thinking of Ivory Coast.
RR: Ivory Coast thanks to Baky.
Nice-Première: Which players will reveal themselves?
VR: Ribéry and Koné.
ER: The revelation? I hope it will be Baky KONE.
RR: Generally, you can’t know them since they haven’t revealed themselves yet!
Nice-Première: Summarize the World Cup for the French Team.
VR: Difficult journey, it’s going to be tight… we must beat Switzerland to gain momentum…
ER: The first match against Switzerland will be crucial for the rest of the competition. In case of victory, we can already hope for the quarterfinals. This is a team that has the qualities to go to the semifinals, but we know that many things are involved; it requires talent but also luck and success, if we have all that we can hope to go far…
RR: I’m not a fortune teller but I think they will pass the first round, then every victory and each round passed means that the World Cup is more and more successful…
Nice-Première: Give me your prediction on the three group matches for the French Team.
VR: France-Switzerland: 1-1
France-Togo: 2-0
France-Korea: 1-0
ER: Switzerland: victory 1-0.
Togo: victory 3-0.
Korea: 1-1
RR: 3 victories.
