New-look France hope to get show on the road against Faroes

FRANCE take on the Faroe Islands desperate to reignite their 2006 World Cup campaign after Saturday’s opening night hiccup against Israel.

A work under construction is how coach Raymond Domenech describes the 1998 world champions but the one asset he sorely needs to carry out the regeneration, time, is missing.

This trip to the tiny fishing community in the North Atlantic between Scotland and Iceland population 46,672 would in years gone by have been regarded as easy pickings for a team that boasted such giants of the game as Zinedine Zidane, Marcel Desailly, Lilian Thuram and Bixente Lizarazu.

But with this quartet retired after France's failed Euro 2004 campaign, former U21 coach Domenech has been forced to entrust France's fortunes in a new generation of players.

France, who are having to go through the rigours of qualifying for the World Cup for the first time in over a decade, are all too aware that they cannot afford to squander points after their goalless draw against the Israelis.

Domenech, reflecting on the rebuilding task facing him, said: "Talented generations which last a long time inevitably leave a void like a giant wave. And behind it there's a hole which needs to be filled as soon as possible. The young ones find themselves on the top of the wave and sometimes they're scared."

At least one veteran of the 1998 campaign Fabian Barthez has decided to stick around until 2006 but the talismanic Marseille goalkeeper has been forced out of these back-to-back qualifiers through injury.

Lyon's Gregory Coupet is keeping the goal warm in the shaven-headed one's absence.

Arsenal striker Thierry Henry says the sooner France learn to deal with life post Zidane and co the better.

"It's true they're missed but we have to start again and go forward. One generation has passed, people have to get that into their heads. Now there are players who need to take a step up the ladder to gain promotion. It's not easy, I had to do that.

Henry was also concerned over the lack of time available to them as Domenech tries to build a team from the ashes of their failed Euro 2004 campaign.

Reflecting on Saturday's first night nerves Henry added: "No one was happy with the result. We should have scored, but we couldn't get the win."

Henry professed ignorance about France's upcoming rivals.

"I know nothing about this team, apart from the goalkeeper. He's the only one I recognise, with his white cap." The North Atlantic islanders are looking to pick themselves up after a 6-0 defeat by Switzerland on Saturday.

They trailed in last in their Euro 2004 qualifying group but nevertheless showed they could land the occasional punch, notably when two goals from John Petersen earned them a 2-2 draw against Scotland.

And 2002 World Cup runners-up Germany had to battle hard to escape with a 2-1 come-from-behind win. Even at this early stage of the qualification trail the stakes could not be much higher for France.