THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
TIGNES, France — France coach Raymond Domenech dropped Marseille’s Djibril Cisse on Wedneday in favour of Bafetimbi Gomis for his 23-man squad for the European Championship.
Domenech had taken a provisional squad of 30 players to a training camp in the French Alpine ski resort of Tignes, and gave some of the fringe players a final chance to impress in Tuesday’s 2-0 win over Ecuador.
"I am not here to comment on the why or the how, but to say how tough it was," Domenech said, refusing to explain his choices. "There are moments when there is strong affection, and when the professional side must take over then it becomes difficult."
Gomis scored twice on his international debut after the Saint-Etienne forward came on as a second-half substitute, while Cisse missed a glaring first-half chance.
Domenech cut seven players, with defenders Philippe Mexes and Julien Escude, goalkeeper Mickael Landreau, midfielders Alou Diarra and Mathieu Flamini, and winger Hatem Ben Arfa also excluded.
"It’s the worst moment of my coaching career," Domenech said. "I know it’s even harder for the players."
Domenech said he informed the excluded players one by one in their hotel rooms.
"When I knocked on the door, I condemned someone," he said. "I did not have a set phrase. For me it was far more of an emotional thing."
Domenech also asked the 23 selected players to wait in the hotel lobby to offer their support as the players left Tignes by helicopter.
"That is also a great team moment," Domenech said.
All seven players remain at the team’s disposal in case of injury, Domenech said, specifying that Escude only lost his place because of a knee injury but that the six others were dropped through choice.
France has warmup matches against Paraguay in Toulouse on Saturday and Colombia at Stade de France on June 3.
It opens against Romania in Group C on June 9, then plays the Netherlands on June 13 and Italy on June 17.
Gomis became the first French player to score two on his international debut since Zinedine Zidane netted twice after also coming on as a second-half substitute against the Czech Republic in 1994.
The 22-year-old forward, who turned down the chance to play for Senegal to have a chance of representing Les Bleus, scored 16 league goals for Saint-Etienne this term.
Cisse, meanwhile, missed out on a second consecutive major tournament, two years after breaking his leg on the eve of the 2006 World Cup.
But striker Nicolas Anelka will play in his first big competition since helping France win at Euro 2000. The 29-year-old Chelsea forward had missed the 1998, 2002 and 2006 World Cups, and Euro 2004.
Landreau, Paris Saint-Germain’s goalkeeper, has long been Gregory Coupet’s understudy — but a series of blunders for PSG this season cost Landreau his spot.
Instead, Domenech will take Marseille custodian Steve Mandanda and Fiorentina’s Sebastien Frey as replacements for Coupet.
"Greg is the undisputed No. 1 choice," Domenech said, adding that Mandanda and Frey had an equal chance to become the No. 2.
Injury to Coupet, however, will leave France vulnerable in terms of experience. Frey has only won two caps, and Mandanda made his debut against Ecuador.
Frey’s debut against Ukraine in November 2007 was marked by a huge error when he tried to catch striker Andriy Shevchenko’s header with one hand, fumbled the ball, and then punched it into the net.
—— France squad:
Goalkeepers: Gregory Coupet (Lyon), Sebastien Frey (Fiorentina), Steve Mandanda (Marseille).
Defenders: Eric Abidal (Barcelona), Jean-Alain Boumsong (Lyon), Francois Clerc (Lyon), Patrice Evra (Manchester United), William Gallas (Arsenal), Willy Sagnol (Bayern Munich), Sebastien Squillaci (Lyon), Lilian Thuram (Barcelona).
Midfielders: Lassana Diarra (Portsmouth), Claude Makelele (Chelsea), Jeremy Toulalan (Lyon), Patrick Vieira (Inter Milan), Samir Nasri (Marseille) Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich).
Forwards: Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea), Karim Benzema (Lyon), Bafetimbi Gomis (Saint-Etienne), Sidney Govou (Lyon), Thierry Henry (Barcelona), Florent Malouda (Chelsea).