Domenech extols the virtues of latin friendly fodder

AFP ©

CLAIREFONTAINE, France (AFP) - Raymond Domenech believes that his choice of a trio of latin sides as friendly fodder for France will serve as ideal preparation for next month's European championships.

"I really like the South Americans," commented Domenech on Thursday ahead of the Euro warm-ups against Equador in Grenoble on May 27, Paraguay in Toulouse on May 31, and Colombia at the Stade de France on June 3.

"They know how to send you to sleep, quietly, and they have this ability to raise the level of play," added the French manager at his team's training base south of Paris.

"They give you the impression that they're walking whereas in fact they're already in front of goal. It requires an awful lot of concentration to play against them."

Some of France's rivals in the June 7-29 tournament are only having one run out before battle commences in Austria and Switzerland but Domenech defended his three-step strategy.

"There's a long time without matches. A game acts as a marker, it allows you to check where each player is, to confirm certain things.

"The notion of having three prep games is based along the same lines as for the World Cup, to place emphasise on the solidity of the team. Will there be a typical line up for the three games? We have to get every one primed for June 9, our opening match."

France, drawn in Group C, the so-called "group of death", face Romania in Zurich on June 9, the Dutch in Berne on June 13, and World Cup winners Italy in Zurich on June 17.