Vieira gets Domenech backing

France coach Raymond Domenech has given midfield enforcer Patrick Vieira a ringing endorsement and all but dismissed reports the 29-year-old might start the World Cup on the bench.

Domenech did not state categorically that Vieira would start against Switzerland on June 13 in Stuttgart but made it clear he was bemused at the media “trial” of one of six survivors of France’s 1998 World Cup-winning squad.

Domenech admitted he had an alternative for the midfield role occupied by Vieira since the retirement of Didier Deschamps, and said: “I have his (Vieira’s) clone in Alou Diarra, but I don’t have many big players like that (Vieira).”

Domenech then went on to denounce suggestions Vieira was becoming a weak link after some lacklustre displays by the Juventus man in warm-up matches.

“I have not been reading the papers since arriving in Germany,” said Domenech at a press conference at Hamlyn’s Rattenfanger Halle, which is named after the town’s most famous citizen, the Pied Piper.

“But from what I understand Patrick Vieira has been put on trial. This surprises me as I know he can do what I ask of him. I know he can do better but I have no questions about his ability.

“I know his qualities and I know his desire, his temperament and that with the ability he also has the will.”

Some have suggested the ageing France team may not have the legs to last a whole World Cup campaign but Domenech has faith in the team whose youngest member is 23-year-old Franck Ribery.

“I have no particular worries,” said Domenech. “I don’t see why I should worry because I know what I see and I hear.

“Their (the players’) desire is enough and they all want the World Cup to go well, that’s important.

“Of course it’s always possible that we can meet a team that is better than us, these things can happen. But everyone wants to do well and wants to do better.”

Domenech admitted he did have contingency plans should a team expected to feature all six France 98 veterans fail to start the World Cup well.

“I have not discounted anything,” said Domenech. “There are other options and sometimes you have to restructure the team – sometimes that has to happen even during the match.”

France’s build-up to the World Cup was marred by Gregory Coupet’s brief walk-out in Tignes in the Alps in anger at the behaviour of Fabien Barthez, whom Domenech had selected ahead of the Lyon man as starting goalkeeper.

Coupet left the compound with his family but returned within an hour and Domenech quickly declared the incident closed.

However, Domenech rejected any suggestion there was a tense mood at their base in Aerzen, a few kilometres from Hamlyn.

“We are not cooped up in the castle,” he said. “We are spread out in the castle. We are living together in the castle and with one objective in common which is to do well in the World Cup.”

Implicitly accusing the media of exaggerating the affair, Domenech said: “We are not here to please the media but to go as far as we can in the World Cup.

“We are enjoying life in the castle. But we must be vigilant and stay alert so that everything goes well.”

Florent Malouda is an injury doubt for the Switzerland game but Domenech was unable to say whether he would be fit to face Kobi Kuhn’s side at the Gottlieb-Daimler stadium.