Steve Mandanda, Gaël Givet, Samir Nasri, Djibril Cissé and Mathieu Valbuena (for the first time) have been called up to the National team by Raymond Domenech. The large group will cover the A & B teams who play against Mali and England next week.
Ever the actor, Raymond Domenech managed to keep Mathieu Valbuena’s first call up to the national team quiet right until the end. The names of Steve Mandanda, Gael Givet, Samir Nasri & Djibril Cissé came up one after the other on the screen that announced the squad, Valbuena’s came right at the end of the list with the forwards. Domenech kept the suspense going as the names came up. «There is youth, experience, there are big guys and litle guys, not many little guys » he announced to the journalists present at the headquarters of Suez on Thursday. Mathieu is on the list of 39 his name coming up right at the end causing a ripple of surprise in the crowd. «I see a fair few OM players in there » continued jokingly the national coach.
Once the list had been announced it was time for some explications. Domenech spoke of Valbuena, who he ignored in his selection last month : «He has grown in the last month. He gives me another option. I don’t think it’s a surprise that he has been called up.» He continued speaking of the other new faces Delpierre, Rami, Bodmer… & Valbuena : «I want to see how they are with the others and to see where they stand compared with the other potential internationals.»
Other than Mathieu, Mandanda received confirmation of his growing stature even if the coach explained that he is only 4th in the list of goalkeepers as far as he is concerned. But there is still time before Euro 2008.
Givet, Nasri & Cissé have a bit more experience of goings ons. Now we just have to wait and see who starts in the B team against Mali and who will be with the first team againstEngland.
Full Squad des 39 noms
Goalkeepers : COUPET (Olympique Lyonnais), FREY (Fiorentina), LANDREAU (Paris-SG), MANDANDA (Olympique de Marseille)
Defenders : Eric ABIDAL (Barcelona), BOUMSONG (Olympique Lyonnais), CLERC (Olympique Lyonnais), CLICHY (Arsenal), DELPIERRE (Stuttgart), ESCUDE (F.C. Sevilla), EVRA (Manchester United), GALLAS (Arsenal), GIVET (Olympique Marseille), MEXES (AS Roma), RAMI (Lille), SAGNA (Arsenal), SQUILLACI (Olympique Lyonnais), THURAM (Barcelona)
Midfielders : BODMER (Olympique Lyonnais), A. DIARRA (Bordeaux), L. DIARRA (Portsmouth), FLAMINI (Arsenal), MAKELELE (Chelsea), MAVUBA (Lille), NASRI (Olympique de Marseille), ROTHEN (Paris-SG), TOULALAN (Olympique Lyonnais), VIEIRA (Inter Milan)
Forwards : ANELKA (Chelsea), BEN-ARFA (Olympique Lyonnais), BENZEMA (Olympique Lyonnais), BRIAND (Rennes), CISSE (Olympique Marseille), GOVOU (Olympique Lyonnais), HENRY (Barcelona), MALOUDA (Chelsea), RIBERY (Bayern Munich), SAHA (Manchester United), VALBUENA (Olympique de Marseille)
