Vieira declares himself fit for France

France captain Patrick Vieira has declared himself physically and mentally ready to start Les Bleus’ 2006 World Cup qualifier against Israel at the Stade de France on Saturday.

The 28-year-old Arsenal midfielder, who has not played with France or his club since the Euro 2004 match with Switzerland on June 21, claimed he has finally got rid of his thigh injury and that recent medical tests have confirmed he can appear in his side’s tie this weekend.

“I have not played since the Switzerland game, I lack match activity but I am confident about my form because I have been training with both Arsenal and the French team and things went well,” said Vieira at a press conference on Tuesday.

“I feel fine and I am ready for Saturday.”

France coach Raymond Domenech has also hinted he is set to start with Vieira on Saturday and Vieira admits he will give his best even if he does not stay long on the pitch.

“I will stop when the coach feels I must stop or when I feel I can’t go on,” he added.

“It will be my first game in a long time, it could be tough, but I am not worried because I am ready in my head. And time will do the rest.”

Saturday’s World Cup qualifier will see Vieira take the reins of the French national team for the first time since he was appointed the new captain following the retirement of Marcel Desailly.

He says he does not intend to change his behaviour but believes his new role will force him to come out of his shell the same way he had to do at Highbury when he was given the Arsenal armband.

“I am not a person who talks a lot, I am quite reserved,” Vieira added.

“But I will take my responsibilities. Communication is going well within the team anyway and it should not be too difficult.

“My role will be to push the group forward and make sure that everyone feels happy.

“I feel like a relay between the coach and the players but my real job will be on the pitch.”

Vieira also admits that being given such a role without being surrounded by the recently-retired Zinedine Zidane, Desailly, Bixente Lizarazu and Lilian Thuram is a challenge.

“The fact that I was appointed the new captain comes at a logical time in my career,” Vieira said.

“The objective is that the atmosphere within the new team remains the same as before.

“But it’s strange to think that I am about to write a new chapter in the French team’s history without Zizou, Liza or Thuram.

“But I have kept contact with them all. That’s the beauty of our team, it’s a friendship story first and nothing’s ever finished completely.”

Vieira’s responsibilities will be more than that of the go-between on Saturday as the midfielder will also have to find the right words to boost a team which have yet to prove their potential on the international stage.

Even though Domenech kept Vieira, Robert Pires, Fabien Barthez and Thierry Henry on the team he was forced to renew his side ahead of the qualifying campaign.

Their first match – an international friendly with Bosnia-Herzegovina on August 18 – failed to convince as, after a good performance in the first half, France collapsed in the second and conceded a 1-1 draw.

And Vieira believes Israel will be a tough tie to begin with before they face the Faroe Islands, the Republic of Ireland and Cyprus.

“This is going to be a difficult match for us but it could be for them too as our prime objective will be to clinch maximum points,” he said.

“We must leave some time for the group to settle, find its reflexes and be fully efficient again.

“The objective right now is the well-being of the team, to perform on the pitch and put ourselves in the best possible conditions to book our ticket to Germany in 2006.”