BBC SPORT | Football | Europe | France opt for fresh faces

Jacques Santini faces the media on Monday

New coach Jacques Santini said on Monday that France would recover from their World Cup disaster.

Santini was speaking after naming a 22-man squad for his first match in charge after succeeding sacked coach Roger Lemerre.

France play a friendly against Tunisia on 21 August.

Santini, who guided Lyon to their first French league title last season, has called on seven players left out by Lemerre at the World Cup.

It's an opportunity to bring in a new freshness, a new dynamism which will give a new spirit of confidence and serenity

France coach
Jacques Santini

Among the influx of new faces are uncapped Philippe Mexes, Anthony Reveillere, Bruno Cheyrou of Liverpool and Sidney Govou.

Santini says they represent "the new force in our game".

But 15 of the side that failed in the Far East without scoring a single goal have been retained, although three big names are missing due to injuries.

Manchester United goalkeeper Fabien Barthez, Bixente Lizarazu and David Trezeguet are not involved.

Sydney Govou of Lyon is one of the new players

Since his appointment Santini has travelled around Europe to talk to players based overseas.

Last Sunday his fact-finding mission took him to Cardiff to watch Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira in the Community Shield.

Vieira is one of the favourites to take over the French captaincy from Marcel Desailly.

"It's an opportunity to bring in a new freshness, a new dynamism which will give a new spirit of confidence and serenity which the team needs," Santini said.

Anelka must show that he wants to return

Jacques Santini

"This isn't just a friendly but a revealing test of the side's spirit."

He added that he was confident Les Bleus would "bounce back, like all top athletes and above all the French".

But Manchester City's new signing Nicolas Anelka must show the right hunger for the international stage if he is to figure in his plans for Euro 2004.

Anelka, Santini said, "must show that he wants to return".

France squad:

Goalkeepers: Gregory Coupet (Olympique Lyon), Ulrich Rame (Girondins Bordeaux).

Defenders: Jeremy Brechet (Olympique Lyon), Vincent Candela (AS Roma), Philippe Christanval (Barcelona), Marcel Desailly (Chelsea), Philippe Mexes (AJ Auxerre), Anthony Reveillere (Stade Rennes), Willy Sagnol (Bayern Munich), Mikael Silvestre (Manchester United), Liliam Thuram (Juventus).

Midfielders: Eric Carriere (Olympique Lyon), Bruno Cheyrou (Liverpool), Claude Makelele (Real Madrid), Emmanuel Petit (Chelsea), Patrick Vieira (Arsenal), Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid).

Strikers: Djibril Cisse (AJ Auxerre), Sidney Govou (Olympique Lyon), Thierry Henry (Arsenal), Steve Marlet (Fulham), Sylvain Wiltord (Arsenal).


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