France coach cuts World Cup squad
Published:Monday | May 17, 2010 | 2:50 PM
France coach Raymond Domenech has cut his World Cup squad to 24 men, taking an extra player to a training camp in case Arsenal defender William Gallas doesn\'t recover from a calf injury in time.
Domenech cut six players from the 30-man provisional squad he announced last week, dropping goalkeeper Mickael Landreau, defenders Adil Rami and Rod Fanni, midfielders Hatem Ben Arfa and Yann M\'Vila, and striker Jimmy Briand.
Domenech says he will not take Gallas to the World Cup if the 32-year-old center back is not fit by the end of May.
Coaches have until June 1 to cut their squad down to 23 for the tournament in South Africa.
Domenech is eager to avoid a repeat of the Euro 2008 fiasco, when he selected an injured Patrick Vieira in his squad only to see the midfielder sidelined for the whole tournament.
Following a friendly against Costa Rica on May 26 at Lens, the French players will travel to the town of Sousse before playing Tunisia in Rades on May 30.
France will then fly to Reunion island in the Indian Ocean to face China in June.
France will start their World Cup campaign against Uruguay on June 11.