Time now for the exodus

Friday’s shock defeat by Greece was the full stop at the end of the most glorious chapter in France’s soccer history. The 2006 Wor...

Friday’s shock defeat by Greece was the full stop at the end of the most glorious chapter in France’s soccer history. The 2006 World Cup qualifiers start in September and France will have a very different set-up by then. Here’s a look at what might be…

COACH

After Santini, who? The strongest contender is former player Jean Tigana, who has the respect of both the players and federation officials

GOALKEEPER

Charismatic goalkeeper Fabien Barthez, also 32, might be out finally and Lyon’s Gregory Coupet might realise his dream of becoming the number one

DEFENDERS

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Marcel Desailly (35) is slated to retire soon after a French record of 116 caps. Bixente Lizarazu (34) and Lilian Thuram (32) should follow. The entire defence, therefore, needs to be rebuilt, with Mikael Silvestre and William Gallas around to hold it together

MIDFIELDERS

Zinedine Zidane will continue at Real Madrid till 2007, but is now a shadow of the man who thrilled the world a few seasons back. Will Zizou’s retirement have the same effect as Platini’s did, when France needed a decade to bounce back? Patrick Vieira (28) will stay, but Claude Makelele, Olivier Dacourt, Robert Pires and Sylvain Wiltord are all over 30 and might be thrown by the wayside

FORWARDS

France failed with their attack in Portugal, but the core of their strike force remains the same. Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet are only 27 while in Djibril Cisse and Louis Saha, France have two of the most exciting strikers in Europe