FIBA Basketball
FRA - France to unveil new captain
DIVONNE-LES-BAINS (FIBA World Championship) - France coach Claude Bergeaud will unveil his choice of captain for the FIBA World Championship on Thursday afternoon. Bergeaud will give a press conference ahead of Les Bleus' tournament in Strasbourg from July 21
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DIVONNE-LES-BAINS (FIBA World Championship) - France coach Claude Bergeaud will unveil his choice of captain for the FIBA World Championship on Thursday afternoon.
Bergeaud will give a press conference ahead of Les Bleus' tournament in Strasbourg from July 21 to 23 and Laurent Foirest, Boris Diaw and Cyril Julian will be the favourites to succeed Antoine Rigaudeau, who retired after winning bronze at Euro 2005.
"The ideal situation would have been to appoint someone who has already been a leader with his club but unfortunately we don't have many players who have experienced that," Bergeaud told www.lequipe.fr.
"Laurent Foirest has never been the skipper, neither have Boris Diaw nor Cyril Julian. But everyone has to start somewhere."
Bergeaud's top choice was San Antonio Spurs superstar Tony Parker but the point guard, who captained Les Bleus during their disappointing performance at Euro 2003, has made it clear he did not want to be given such a role again.
"The captain I choose will have to show leadership in the game as well as among the team," added Bergeaud.
"He must be open-minded too and I am expecting from him to be more than a leader during matches.
"He must also give an extra strength to the team."
France defeated Switzerland 84-56 in their first friendly match on Monday and will next travel to Strasbourg, where they face Senegal, Lithuania and China in the city's Rhenus Sport Arena.
The FIBA World Championship takes place in Japan from August 19 to September 3.
PA Sport
DIVONNE-LES-BAINS (FIBA World Championship) - France coach Claude Bergeaud will unveil his choice of captain for the FIBA World Championship on Thursday afternoon.
Bergeaud will give a press conference ahead of Les Bleus' tournament in Strasbourg from July 21 to 23 and Laurent Foirest, Boris Diaw and Cyril Julian will be the favourites to succeed Antoine Rigaudeau, who retired after winning bronze at Euro 2005.
"The ideal situation would have been to appoint someone who has already been a leader with his club but unfortunately we don't have many players who have experienced that," Bergeaud told www.lequipe.fr.
"Laurent Foirest has never been the skipper, neither have Boris Diaw nor Cyril Julian. But everyone has to start somewhere."
Bergeaud's top choice was San Antonio Spurs superstar Tony Parker but the point guard, who captained Les Bleus during their disappointing performance at Euro 2003, has made it clear he did not want to be given such a role again.
"The captain I choose will have to show leadership in the game as well as among the team," added Bergeaud.
"He must be open-minded too and I am expecting from him to be more than a leader during matches.
"He must also give an extra strength to the team."
France defeated Switzerland 84-56 in their first friendly match on Monday and will next travel to Strasbourg, where they face Senegal, Lithuania and China in the city's Rhenus Sport Arena.
The FIBA World Championship takes place in Japan from August 19 to September 3.
PA Sport