Game Over For France?

[Frisko]

Today Zinedine Zidane announced his retirement from the NT.

Is this the end of France's hopes of international glory? I really don't see any players able to fill the void that Zidane, Desailly, Thuram and Lizarazu left...

I look at Italy and I see so many players ready to take over from the likes of Vieri (Gilardino), Cannavaro (Ferrari), and so on... But France's situation is much worse, don't you think? Apart from Saha, are there any young players that can give this team hope?

I don't wathc the French League, so I'm not sure. But it's not likely, is it?

 

[Marco The Butcher]

There are many effective midfielders i would like to see playing for France. Zidane is quality and will hardly be replaced but that doesnt mean the others will fail to do a job.

I would love to see Steed Malbranque playing for a change.

 

[The_Egyptian_Interista]

2 words : Johan Micoud. :star:

Don't worry about France, they have pretty good young prospects. Benoit Pedretti and Philippe Mexes are both good examples of what French football has to offer.

 

[Handoyo]

Yes. Johan Micoud is Werder's playmaker who has led them to the Bundesliga title last season. I believe he will be a good successor to Zidane although I think he's already in his 30s.

France may also want to change their formation, with 2 defensive midfielders (Vieira and Makelele) and 2 wingers in Rothen and Giuly. With this kind of formation, no playmaker is needed unless the coach wants to use Henry as a lone striker.

It's very harsh to judge that France is over. Zizou is one of the best player of his era and will be impossible to be replaced. All they can do is to minimise the loss. But they have a breed of youngsters coming to replace the old.


Handyo

 

[Ziyad]

It will be nice to see them rebuildong and see new stars rise to the occassion.. :star:

 

[Frisko]

I don't know, after France 98 they seem to have lost their spark, and now with such huge players retiring, I just don't see them manage to keep up.

 

[SB9Dragon]

France is still one of the bests. Though perhaps with Zidane gone the side can do even better by not depending so much on one player to pull the side through tough times.

The dependability on Zidane cost France heavily in WC 2002.

 

[Hammoudi]

I'm glad he retired, i love the guy and i think he is one of the best ever, both on and off the field. My joy is that France might never win the world cup again and we don't have to put up with their crap. I don't think they are as great as the germans, brazilians, argentinians, italians or even the past uruguayan teams.

They should be back to the middle of the pack along with the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal where they historically belong. C'est Dommage!!! :cry2:

 

[Guy]

Zidane was over his prime anyway - the retirment was the best thing to do, but mostly for Real Madrid. I disagree that France have no proper replacement for the retiring players, the academy at Claire-Fontaine (spelling) will keep producing the elite of tommorow, even more than Italy. Dare I even say that France's new generation is better then Italy's.

Because Zidane was so amazing at his time, it's hard to find a player to fit his shoes. Meenwhile France, like the rest of the world, will have to settle with it's 'regular' world-class players.

 

[Frisko]

I don't know why you feel so strongly against France Hamed. They had an amazing team, Thuram,-Viera-Zidane-Pires-Henry is something really special.

You also mention Holland as a team "in the middle of the pack", I think that's unfair to them, they were disappointing at Euro 2004 but they're the equivalent of Inter in the NT, they just didn't achieve as much as they deserve. I would have loved to see a France vs Holland final in 1998, the would have been a real contest!

 

[Frisko]

Dare I even say that France's new generation is better then Italy's.

I highly doubt that!

 

[Gismo]

I am happy for France. They got rid of Zidane. He was old, slow, not working at all defencevely... This is great news! :star:

 

[Frisko]

Nice attempt for a wind up Gismo

 

[Guy]

Dare I even say that France's new generation is better then Italy's.

I highly doubt that!

Do tell, Frissy

It appears as if France have world-class youngsters in every position. The only player who can really compete with France's new generation is Gilardino, that France have 'only' Cisse and Govou to hold against.

 

[Frisko]

Well Italy has players such as Ferrari, Oddo, Pirlo, Perrotta, Gattuso, Gilardino, they re all very young and they're experienced already. And not in the French league, in Serie A!

 

[Gismo]

Nice attempt for a wind up Gismo

Wind up? I got A+ in English... But I don´t understand this slang, Frisko.

 

[Frisko]

Lol sorry... Wind up is when you try to get people angry by annoying them. Not in a nasty way though, but in a playful way

 

[Gismo]

Well I am confused then. Because I was serious. Zidane is a bad player now...

 

[Frisko]

LOL Gismo ok I'm not replying to that

 

[Gismo]

The truth is like a sword... :yawn: