If Olivier Giroud isn’t part of France’s squad for Euro 2020 then he can’t say he didn’t have enough warnings.
Not getting enough game time at Chelsea under Frank Lampard, the striker was constantly in the French media leading up to the winter market. Didier Deschamps gave public hints about the need for a change, and it was assumed that’s what would happen.
Inter Milan was the expected destination, yet as the window grew older there was far more confidence in France than Italy regarding their interest.
It felt like Giroud’s camp believed Inter were more concrete than they really were, and therefore failed to seriously pursue other options early enough.
When the end of January came it was too late for Chelsea to find a replacement, and following the window closing there were suggestions in France that Giroud had been disrespected by Inter, but there’s surely blame on both sides.
Now he finds his Euro 2020 chances damaged, and Noël Le Graët, president of the FFF, has been asked by L’Equipe if he’s worried about certain players lacking minutes, with Giroud the only one named.He responded: “Yes. Among them, there are real incumbents. Giroud stayed in his club (Chelsea). I hope he’ll play a few matches. Otherwise, physically, it will be difficult. The others are still recovering, apart from Dembélé. But many countries also have injuries. There are far too many matches.”
Not enough matches for Giroud, it would seem, who hasn’t got on the pitch since November.
