France World Cup news

translation ci vous plait?

 

non

 

merde.

 

lemme guess the summary of the article then

L'etat et pichon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Allez Madmoeslle La GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!

 

ya know with the state of the WNT, the US could easily flop out 1-2-0 in that situitation...NK almost beat the US with a defensive game plan in 99...France has the offense to shock an unsuspecting US team, nigeria isnt as good as they were in 99 IMHO...but still a threat and a real brusing team to face (remember mia hasnt really been the same player since getting her stomach recycled by a cheap shot in chicago in 99, which the US retallated by running up the score)

 

Okay. First of all, in case you don't know, Elisabeth Loisel is the coach of the FNT. Here's what it says(With my comments in parenthesis):

Elisabeth Loisel: "The door is open"

2003 was particularly burdensome(for the NT) but also really enthralling for Elisabeth Loisel. Indeed, after a series of matches of preparation and training courses in a high altitude and along the sea, the World Cup next September in China will approach the team The national team manager will describe for us the next 8 months for les Bleues.

Elisabeth, in which state of mood will you be in for the next 8 months.

"For me, one has to go back to the drawing board or start all over again. . Let us not live on our past glories(literally "assets") or qualification(i.e. what they did in qualification) However, it is necessary to reinforce the team(their confidence) for getting great results, to improve on it, but also to allow a chance for better things(confusing with the word for "opening") for this team of France. For the next meeting against China, I hope to to call upon certain players not already on the National team(i.e. see what's out there. Find the new diamonds) My goal is to understand their attitude at the time of an important match. I will allow more competition for place in the squad(i.e. nobody's spot is safe. Truthfully, there's a couple that are safe but you didn't hear that from me)
No player can confirm right now that she will be present in China. I will wait to see how the players do before selecting them. I am especially waiting for proof from the older players that they still deserve their spots(not as harsh as it sounds) as well as for any young players who will want to jostle the current hierarchy. The challenge is reward enough for each player. The door is open. With everything that is going on, I wish to narrow it down to a group of 28-30 players by mid-July ".

What will be the the different steps of preparation for the National team.

"We'll start with two friendlies. One against China at Marmande on Saturday, February 22 and then one against Netherlands in Albi on the Wednesday after that.(26th) In March, we will play in the Algarve Cup, an international tournament in Portugal in which we will take part for the first time. Four matches in eight days are on hand! Our adversaries will be Denmark, China and Finland (plus a knockout match). This test will enable me to make a review of the strength(of the team) and will give me a precise vision of the services of what each player can offer to the team. Then on Thursday, April 17, we will play Germany in order to prepare for the qualification rounds of the European Championships."

What about a return to competitive play?(You know besides friendlies)?

"Yes, We will play in Hungary on Sunday May 11 for Euro 2005 It's a very good thing. Our last match of competition was back on Saturday November 16 of last year against England at Saint-Etienne (1-0). In June, we will carry out a physical and medical series of tests at Clairefontaine. Then, the players will benefit from fifteen days of relaxation. in Mid-July, we will join together at the Technical Center National Fernand-Sastre. These meetings will go together with regular trips back to their families. Then it will be time to start on working in a training course to get acclimated to the oxygen of the mountains as well as a course to acclimate ourselves to playing along the sea. Lastly, on Monday, September 8, right before the departure for Asia we will play an European Championship qualifier against Iceland. The objective is to devote myself to the task of picking the team(or to get hooked) before the World Cup.

Will you have time to go to China before your departure on Tuesday September 9th or Wednesday September 10, 2003?

"I am counting on going to the World Cup draw announcement on May 24 in Wuhan. There will be four or five of us in the delegation and we will benefit from it by making a complete visit of the sites. It is necessary to avoid discovering such things at the last time. We will not leave with knowing about the sites nor will we leave it to chance. We will arrive more than a few days before the launch of the competition in order to acclimate ourselves and to draw in the ordeal(take care of the pressure.)"

 

First of all, I think those are the two dates that are confirmed as of now. I guess with the World Cup and the WUSA everything is still up in the air for most of the groups. Trouville? Les Vapeurs is good. Deauville may not be as crowded now as it will be later in the season so you might to see instead of I'm reading your mind correctly. Honfleur would also be great if it's not too crowded. Well, you'll be going past Le Mans probably. Slow down then. Caen is a good choice. Nice pleasant town. A good number of churches in Rouen besides the obvious masterpiece. Flaubert country. You'll have to give me a report on the chateau of Saumur. Such a sad story. I would have gone further west to see St.Malo as well but tempus fugit.. Between Caen and Tours is a great viewing spot called the Roche d'Oetre(Just outside of Pont d'Ouilly along the Orne.) It's great. And because the trip between Caen and Tours or Saumur is long, I would stop at Alencon for a break. Don't miss Usse or Chambord. Of course, if one comes this far then one must see Mont. Saint-Michel or Chartres Cathedral. But considering your less than obvious schedule, I'll assume you've been there already.

 

Norway also has a Euro2005 qualifier on May 11, so I'm wondering if France might be playing on some of the other dates that Norway is. Here is Norway's schedule that they released back in mid-December for their three Euro2005 qualifiers that they will play this year at home:

May 11: Norway - Belgium
May 15: Norway - Netherlands
Sept. 11: Norway - Denmark

Norway is also supposed to play against Spain, but that will be sometime in November after the World Cup is finished.

 

Schedule For Euro2005 Qualifying

I wonder if the Euro2005 qualifying groups were given a window of time for scheduling their matches and that it was just a coincidence that May 11 was chosen by both Norway and France? I'll check with some of my sources over in Europe and see if they know where the complete Euro2005 schedule might be posted.

 

Info From Scottish FA

Here is a partial list of qualifying fixtures for Group 4, that was released awhile ago by the Scottish FA:

27 March 2003
Germany v Scotland

18 May 2003
Scotland v Ukraine

7 June 2003
Portugal v Scotland

So it looks like France might have had the option of playing one of their other qualifiers in March or early June. Well until UEFA releases a complete schedule it looks like we might have to piece a partial schedule together one Football Federation at a time.

 

Well, then it makes sense since your choice of places to go were not the most obvious. I'll work on a master list of the fixtures but I'm pretty sure that UEFA will be releasing one soon. Well, at least I hope. Otherwise I'll look at the various FAs sites but a good number of them are still lacking when it comes to women's soccer.

 

Upcoming french matches can be found here:
http://www.fff.fr/femininesa/calefema/42884.shtml

 

Pichon will not be playing in the French Friendlies against China and the Netherlands.