Cantona and Ginola omitted by France

Eric Cantona may be good enough to win England's Footballer of the Year award, but the Frenchman is still surplus to requirements across the Channel. When Aime Jacquet, the French coach, yesterday named his squad for next month's European Championship, the Manchester United player headed a notable list of absentees.

Also missing from the 22 names for Euro 96 were Newcastle United's David Ginola and Jean-Pierre Papin, France's best striker of the last 10 years.

Although Cantona's non-selection may surprise Premiership watchers, it was expected in France. Cantona has not played for his country since January last year, a week before the assault on a Crystal Palace fan which led to his suspension from the game.

On his return Cantona played a key part in Manchester United's double triumph and was the football writers' player of the year, but during his absence France have enjoyed a 20-match unbeaten run, a national record, and Jacquet chose yesterday to keep faith with the young players who have served him so well.

Cantona was Jacquet's first captain when he took over as national coach two years ago, but in his 49 games for France he has only rarely performed at his best. He was stripped of the captaincy after the Selhurst Park incident.

Jacquet said: "Eric's qualities as a player have never been in doubt. But I have two priorities - to obtain the best possible result at Euro 96, work for the future, for the 1998 World Cup in France, and give the young generation a chance to meet the best teams in Europe."

He added: "I've known Eric for a long time and he is not the only absentee in the list. Many other talented players have also been left out."

While Papin has been plagued by injury, Ginola has been out of favour with Jacquet and not even the prospect of the Newcastle striker playing on his home ground - two of France's three group games are at St James' Park - could earn him a recall.

Jacquet said that he felt Ginola, like Cantona, belonged to the past. "I don't expect English crowds to support France in any way," Jacquet said.

The omission of Cantona, Ginola and Papin had been expected in France given the form of younger players in midfield and attack. Youri Djorkaeff, Zinedine Zidane, Christian Karembeu and Christophe Dugarry have all blossomed this season alongside established internationals like Didier Deschamps and Marcel Desailly.

FRENCH SQUAD (European Championship): Goalkeepers: B Lama (Paris St-Germain), F Barthez (Monaco), B Martini (Montpellier). Defenders: J Angloma (Torino), E Di Meco (Monaco), F Leboeuf (Strasbourg), L Blanc (Auxerre), B Lizarazu (Bordeaux), L Thuram (Monaco), A Roche (Paris St-Germain). Midfielders: V Guerin (Paris St Germain), D Deschamps (Juventus), M Desailly (Milan), Y Djorkaeff (Paris St-Germain), Z Zidane (Bordeaux), S Lamouchi (Auxerre), C Karembeu (Sampdoria), C Martins (Auxerre). Forwards: P Loko (Paris St- Germain), C Dugarry (Bordeaux), M Madar (Monaco), R Pedros (Nantes).

n Bruce Grobbelaar, who was released by Southampton last week, has been named assistant player-coach of Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwean Football Association said yesterday that he had accepted the post and would start work with immediate effect. The former Liverpool goalkeeper, who has played regularly for Zimbabwe for the last five years, still faces match-fixing charges in England, which he has denied.