Krong Angkor

It won´t be easy, warns Domenech

CAPE TOWN (AFP) - France coach Raymond Domenech scoffed at suggestions that his side had drawn an easy group in the World Cup here on Friday.

The French will go up against hosts South Africa, Mexico and Uruguay next June and will be favourites to top the group.

But Domenech said there were pitfalls for his side.

"We have landed the hosts and that is never easy. We will be playing away from home," he said.

"It will be the third match up in the group stages for us and there will be all to play for. It will not be easy

"It just isn't as simple as that. Everyone will have us down as favourites, but I don't know what they base that on. We will see how that stands when it is all over.

"The groups are well balanced and there is no real Group of Death this time. You can never be sure. We have seen so many surprises in the past."

The French were fortunate to make it through to the World Cup finals, with Thierry Henry's now notorious handball helping to haul his side past the qualification line in the playoff against Ireland in Paris last month.

Domenech as well has been the subject of constant criticism on the domestic front for his tactics and choice of players and there were further calls for him to be sacked after the Ireland game.

That will not be the case and Domenech, who took the French all the way to the World Cup final against Italy in Berlin four years ago, said he was eager to get going in South Africa.

"All the players are up for it," he said. "It will be the first World Cup in Africa. The emotion, the atmosphere and all that represents and to play the hosts, that is something else. That gives me great satisfaction."

Turning to the two Latin American sides, Domenech said that France had played both recently.

"That won't be easy either. You think you are doing well against them, but they have this capacity to put you to sleep and they have players with technical skills well above the average."