Barthez braced for ‘a battle’

ALL the talk may have been about the troubles surrounding French football but a visit to Clairefontaine is a sobering reminder that Ireland are visiting one of the great powers of world football.

Some 50 miles south of Paris - Versaille is but a stop on the way to this home of modern royalty - Clairefontaine is the leafy home of the Centre National du Football, the powerbase of the French game since 1974.

A large sculpture of the World Cup greets visitors who drive up the tree-lined avenue.

Close by and overlooked by a building incorporating triumphal arches, is the Platini Stadium, the lush training pitch used exclusively by the national side.

In this, the centenary year of the French FA, Clairefontaine retains its reputation as an academy of footballing science, a special place where the stars of the next generation can rub shoulders with Henry, Pires and the rest.

Let’s just say it’s a little more than just Clonshaugh Sur Mer.

Fabien Barthez is one of the fast departing golden generation who has decided to - literally - keep his hand in with the national team. Speaking yesterday in Clairefontaine, the 33 year-old goalkeeper and team captain said: “I believe a goalkeeper can be at his best from 31 to 35. The lives of players change and each must make his own decision but I feel good physically so why should I say no to the French national team especially since international football has given me the best moments of my career.”

Barthez said that he was particularly looking forward to renewing contact with ex-Manchester United colleague Roy Keane tonight.

“I don’t know if I’ll get a chance to talk to him but I’d like to congratulate him on the birth of his new baby,” he said. “It’s always a pleasure to see him. As a captain, his style was very different to mine. He was very vocal, shouting a lot on the pitch. I’m calmer. He would never listen to me if I was saying something on the pitch - he was always two hundred per cent into the match.”

Barthez said he was expecting “a battle” tonight. “It will be a British-style game,” he went on. “There are many French players in Britain so both sides will know each other well - I don’t think there’s an advantage in that either way.

“But I’m not really concerned about how Ireland play - we will be concentrating on our own game.

“I think we are good enough to beat Ireland but we will not be complacent. And I’m not worried about how young this French team is - there is real quality in this team as well.”

Manager Raymond Domenech was also upbeat, despite his recent travails.

“We’ve had a good week preparing and everyone is well,” he said. “The players know Ireland well. We also know there will be a lot of Irish supporters in the Stade de France but it’s not only the Irish who can make a good noise.

“We know the quality of our opponents. Their fighting spirits is just one aspect. It’s false to say that they are just a physical side - they have good technical players too, like Duff, Kilbane and Reid. I would say that having drawn away to Switzerland they are the best-placed team in the group.

“For us, I have tried to build this team from the front - we need to start scoring goals if we are to win.”

The President of the French FA said last night that Domenech would keep his job, even if the results against Ireland and Cyprus went against France. However, not too many people here are willing to believe that.