France coach Raymond Domenech is refusing to be pressured into fielding his younger generation of players in Les Bleus' opening World Cup match with Switzerland in Stuttgart on Tuesday.
There is a growing clamour in France for the coach to field the likes of Franck Ribery in the opener against what is likely to be a very young Swiss team.
However, Domenech, who gave a very public vote of confidence to Patrick Vieira - one of his six France 98 veterans - on Saturday, revealed he will not blood 23-year-old Ribery, the baby of the squad, in competitive action until he feels he is ready.
Ribery, with Pascal Chimbonda, was one of two uncapped players called into the 23-man squad but has made three substitute appearances totalling 56 minutes in World Cup warm-ups with Mexico, Denmark and China.
Domenech said: 'Since he (Ribery) is coming from a class below, he needs to be eased in a little.'
He continued: 'We want to create a good feeling so we can enter into the World Cup spirit.
'We want to take the plunge and not get into difficulties and if we do get into trouble, to try and put the mistakes right.'
