Question marks surround France
By Paul Kennedy
Mananging Editor
Soccer America
FRANCE
Odds: 12-1 (t6/32 teams). FIFA Ranking: 8 (8/32). Previous appearances: 11.
Podium finishes: 1st (1998), 3rd (1958, 1986).
Records can be deceiving.
France, the Group G favorite, didnÆt lose in Raymond DomenechÆs first 17 games as coach until a 2-1 loss to Slovakia in March, but this isnÆt a dominating team heÆs taking to the World Cup.
The Bleus traveled to the ski resort of Tignes to train for the World Cup with questions throughout their lineup.
Who will Domenech play on the left side of FranceÆs defense? How many players will he stack in midfield to support retiring star Zinedine Zidane? Will he align Arsenal ace Thierry Henry as a single forward or pair Henry and Juventus star David Trezeguet or LiverpoolÆs Djibril Cisse? Cisse looked to start in the opener against the Swiss until he broke his leg in FranceÆs final World Cup warmup against China.
Domenech settled the debate over who will start in goal when he picked Fabien Barthez over LyonÆs Gregory Coupet but tempers boiled over when Coupet walked out of training camp in a dispute with Barthez. Coupet had to be coaxed to return.
Other French stars like Robert Pires, Ludovic Giuly and Nicolas Anelka were ignored.
ôWe need such players who are young, a little bit reckless and will be happy whether they play 10 minutes, 15 minutes or not at all,ö Domenech said in picking 23-year-old Franck Ribery, considered ZidaneÆs successor in the BleusÆ midfield, and taking a dig at players such as Pires and Anelka with whom he clashed and who were therefore overlooked.
SWITZERLAND
Odds: 100-1 (t17/32 teams). FIFA Ranking: 35 (24//32). Previous appearances: 7.
Podium finishes: –
Switzerland will be relying upon youth to play leading roles. Starters Philipp Senderos and Tranquillo Barnetta are both 21 or younger, but have plenty of international experience.
ôWeÆve beaten the big nations, like Italy, Germany, England and France in the under-17s and under-21s,ö says Swiss coach Kobi Kuhn. ôIn the past, weÆve been accused of lacking confidence, but our young players arenÆt afraid of anyone.ö
That includes France, which the Swiss tied twice in World Cup qualifying.
Another young star, Johan Vonlanthen, was injured and will miss the tournament.
SOUTH KOREA
Odds: 150-1 (t23/32 teams). FIFA Ranking: 29 (t19/32). Previous appearances: 6.
Podium finishes: -.
South Korea never won a game in five previous appearances in the World Cup, yet reached the semifinals four years ago thanks to three straight victories over European powers: Portugal (1-0), Italy (2-1 in overtime) and Spain (5-3 on penalties).
Dick Advocaat, KoreaÆs Dutch coach, is confident his team can again surprise.
ôWe have a very balanced squad and one that can surprise a lot of people,ö he says. ôWe are capable of reaching the second round at least.ö
The Koreans are led by Park Ji-sung (Manchester United) and Lee Young-pyo (Tottenham), who completed their first seasons in the EPL after helping Dutch club PSV make the semifinals of the 2005 Champions League.
TOGO
Odds: 500-1 (t29/32 teams). FIFA Ranking: 61 (32/32). Previous appearances: 0.
Podium finishes: -.
Togo was thrown into chaos by the departure of its 67-year-old German coach, Otto Pfister, on Friday night.
Pfister, who had never seen the Sparrow Hawks play before taking them to three weeks of training in the Bavarian Alps to prepare for the World Cup, quit in a dispute with Togo federation officials over their negotiation of a bonus agreement with his players
Pfister, whoÆs coached 17 teams in 14 different countries, was only appointed Togo coach in late February after California resident Stephen Keshi was fired. KeshiÆs downfall was a dispute with Arsenal star Emmanuel Adebayor, whom he benched at the 2006 African Nations Cup.
Adebayor is the only big name in a very inexperienced squad. Six players, including Toure Assimiou, a member of GermanyÆs under-20 team, had never played for Togo before heading off to the Alps, where they were met by hale and a chicken-pox scare.
Odds are Ladbrokes odds as of May 30.
FIFA/Coca Cola rankings are as of May 17.