Paris (AFP)

The announcement of the November list telescopes Thursday with the media whirlwind in which Amandine Henry has coached Corinne Deacon, coach of the Bleues whose first speech will be eagerly awaited after criticism from her captain.

Affected by the Covid-19 last month, the 46-year-old technician chose to stay away from Paris for the traditional press conference, which she will hold in video Thursday from 11:30 am, four days before the start of the rally at Clairefontaine.

Will she call captain Henry among the 23 or more players selected for the qualifying match for Euro-2022 against Austria, on November 27 in Guingamp, and the reception of Kazakhstan on December 1 in Vannes?

The star of Olympique Lyonnais brought Sunday on Canal + a powerful testimony of the unease reigning in the France team, a month after his non-selection on "sporting criteria".

At 31, the midfielder echoed the "heavy and negative feedback" from the tricolor locker room, taking care not to limit the subject to a conflict between Deacon and OL.

"This is the feeling of the majority of the team. Some girls do not dare to speak, there is fear" but "if I do not speak, who will speak?", She asserted.

This load of the captain, unprecedented and heavy, places the coach in front of a difficult choice: either to summon the Lyonnaise and expose herself to a stormy cohabitation, or to snub her once again and provoke a salvo of criticism, in particular from her own camp .

- Henry is "indisputable" -

"The role of the coach is to play the best team", reacted to L'Equipe the president of the French Football Federation, Noël Le Graët.

However, he said Sunday, Henry "has a large place in the France team, obviously. Maybe she was less in shape a month ago. But on her value, she is indisputable."

The boss of French football, who installed Deacon in 2017 and confirmed it after the failure of the World Cup-2019 (elimination in quarters against the United States), was certainly careful to remind that "everyone must make an effort" .

But her unusual foray into the sports field will not have escaped the notice of the one who is under contract until Euro-2022.

Beyond the Henry case, the coach should still draw largely from the Lyon reservoir to constitute her list, from Wendie Renard to Eugénie Le Sommer, via Sakina Karchaoui, Amel Majri or even Delphine Cascarino.

The reigning European champions should meet Parisians Grace Geyoro, Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Kadidiatou Diani at Clairefontaine, whom they face this Friday at the Parc des Princes in the first leg of the women's D1.

Among the Bordelaises, third in the championship, Charlotte Bilbault and Estelle Cascarino can claim a new summons.

The former Montpellier Valérie Gauvin, Everton striker since this summer, is forced to ignore because of a muscle injury.

His trainer estimated the length of his absence at "about two months".

Unbeaten since the World Cup-2019, the Blue are approaching the last two qualifying matches for Euro-2022 at the top of the group, tied on points with Austria who held them in check (0-0) at the end of October.

Their ticket for the European Championship organized in England will be validated in case of victory against these same Austrians on November 27 at Guingamp, before the closing match on December 1 in Vannes against Kazakhstan.

© 2020 AFP