Frank Leboeuf struggles to understand Fabio Capello's team selection against France
Former France international Frank Leboeuf has criticized Fabio Capello's team selection for England's friendly with France, saying that the Italian fielded a second-rate team in an important game.
Capello, who has been urged by the FA to bring younger players into the English national team, picked several youngsters to start in the 2–1 defeat on Wednesday 17 November.
Striker Andy Carroll, 21, and midfielder Jordan Henderson, 20, were both handed their first inernational caps for the game, while left-back Kieran Gibbs, 21, made his first England start.
"You do not play against France with a B team. It is a lack of respect for France and it is a lack of respect for the English fans," Leboeuf, who earned 50 caps for France during his playing career, told
Eurosport. "I wonder if Capello would have done the same thing as Italy coach."
Leboeuf: Injury situation no excuse
With injuries to established England players such as Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard, John Terry, Jermaine Defoe and Ashley Cole, it could be argued that the manager had no choice but to field the team that he did regardless of the FA's demands for a younger
national team.
Capello himself said that his long list of absentees meant the starting team against France was the strongest he could produce.
But Leboeuf, who played for Chelsea between 1996 and 2001, claimed the French team's performance in the game was undermined by the inferiority of the opposition.
"The France team showed character but the opponent was not up to par. When you wear the national team jersey, you are representing your homeland – but even if England had injuries, I do not understand that selection. I was expecting a lot from this game,
I really wanted to know what this France team was capable of. They showed a lot of nice things but they did not play against an opponent playing to its potential."
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