tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11295776.post3969440103398268303..comments2023-10-21T03:43:09.730-04:00Comments on The Bean Town Frog: The quota issue with the FFF, the underlying storyGFChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11528949404489200110noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11295776.post-59523173957578856902011-05-17T23:56:55.690-04:002011-05-17T23:56:55.690-04:00Kanoute was actually on the preliminary list for t...Kanoute was actually on the preliminary list for the Euros in Portugal. He had even played a match for the French A side, the pseudo JV for the senior squad. But he opted to play for Mali, even thought, I believe, he had never even set foot in the country at that point!<br /><br />There are definitely some talented players that showcase for other nations that France could use for the senior side. The question remain, are there any players that were in the French set up that opted to play elsewhere who would be undisputed stars for Les Bleus? <br /><br />Not sure. I think it is a good problem to have, it just shows how much talent is going through your youth development system and Les Bleus do get the first shot at getting them into the A side.GFChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11528949404489200110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11295776.post-43006920965675559582011-05-17T20:54:24.263-04:002011-05-17T20:54:24.263-04:00Kanoute is one that springs to mind - he was a bit...Kanoute is one that springs to mind - he was a bit of a late bloomer. For a time he would have been a likely selection, but he had already decided to play for Mali. <br /><br />Assou-Ekotto, I gather, did not participate in the academy system, but he's another Frenchman playing for another country who is arguably good enough to play for France. He's another player like Kanoute hitting good form a little later in his career.<br /><br />Honestly, because I rarely get to follow the youth teams, I often do not know about which France players are giving up on playing for the senior side. <br /><br />I'd love to get to watch more of France's youth teams.Jeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01778323457592582216noreply@blogger.com