Domenech: I'll make Henry great for France

"I have to work with him to stop that thinking. He is not responsible for the French national team. He is responsible only for his own game."

Henry has suffered a particular lean time in front of goal with France. He has scored just twice in 10 games this year - statistics which leave Domenech more baffled than annoyed.

"I want him to do what he does for Arsenal," said the head coach. "He has pressure at Arsenal but he is not the only player with responsibility.

"I saw his goal against Charlton and of course I want him to try to do that for France. He is fighting to score goals for France, but he is perhaps trying too hard. Without that pressure, he will try things - like the goal against Arsenal."

But if Henry has to come down a gear, Domenech is equally insistent that his Arsenal team-mate needs to step up one. Pires's future in the national team has been debated since the manager chose to leave him out of the starting line-ups for his first two games in charge.

With Zinedine Zidane, Bixente Lizarazu and Lilian Thuram all retired, some saw Robert Pires's omission as a statement of intent. And with another stalwart, Claude Makelele, also departing international football after the game against the Faroe Islands, the sense of a new era was tangible. But Domenech insisted that Pires, who expressed his unhappiness about being dropped, still has a role to play.

"Of course Robert has a future with France. Along with Patrick Vieira and Thierry, he is one of the big stars, the experienced players. He can play for France for the next three or four years. For me he is a good player for France - but he has to show that.

"I have known Robert for 10 years, I had him with the Espoirs. With him it is the opposite to Thierry. Thierry needs to feel less pressure but Robert needs pressure. He needs to be prompted."

Of Vieira, however, Domenech has no reservations. His first act after accepting the challenge of taking France to the World Cup finals in Germany in 2006 was to make Vieira captain.

"He takes my place when he is with the players. He calls them when we are not together. As important as the job with Arsenal? Maybe - and maybe more. He is me. That is why I often come over to London to speak with him, even when Arsenal are not playing."

The failure of France to live up to expectations in the last World Cup and the disappointment of Euro 2004 when they lost to Greece in the quarter-final, generated conspiracy theories a-plenty.

The favoured one made huge play of the power within the French squad of the big characters and their say in team selection and tactics.

It was labelled a "Players' Republic". Domenech is all for players expressing themselves but insists he makes the decisions.

"I listen to them but I listen to all of them when they have something to say that will benefit the team," he said. "In a way that is a democracy. If there are just some of the players who have a say, then it is not a democracy. But I always have the final say. That happens with clubs. Vieira talks with Arsene Wenger a lot but they don't always agree. It is the same."

But rumours persist that all is not well, that the famous esprit de corps on which the World Cup triumph of 1998 and European title two years later was built is now in the past.

Naturally, Domenech dismisses such talk and he feels his players are in the mood to show they are capable of restoring the glory days.

"They want to show they are tired of the talk from outside about so-called problems," added Domenech, who was so proud to be appointed manager that he named his daughter - born on the same day - Victoire.

So what can Vieira and company expect from Domenech at half-time should it all be going poire-shaped out on the field? A hair-dryer style blast in the mode of Sir Alex Ferguson?

"No, not at all, "he said. "In my whole career I have only ever really shouted once at my players. I was a coach at Lyon and I felt that the players had let down the public and the club with their performance.

"But normally, no. There is no point. I have a rule: never speak about what has happened - you have to prepare for what is to come."

Domenech admits he will "lean heavily" on the Arsenal contingent as he attempts to reach Germany in 2006 - but he also had time to mention an Arsenal star of the future who he feels will graduate sooner rather than later into the full squad.

"Gael Clichy is one very good player," said Domenech. "He will be a full international for sure, maybe in six months or a year.

"For the moment, though, he must take the place of Ashley Cole and that will not be easy. I know that."

France v Republic of Ireland, Stade de France, 8pm, Saturday