First refusal for Cole in striker's role

With doubts about his leadership as resonant as the north bell in Notre Dame, Kevin Keegan will tonight rely on three men from Old Trafford to silence the sceptics, illustrate his evolution as an international coach and re-establish his authority as the man most suited to lead England through to the next World Cup.

Andy Cole at centre forward, Paul Scholes just behind him and David Beckham playing in central midfield will all start in Paris this evening and, Keegan intimated, if all three impress in their new roles, each can expect to face Germany and Finland in five weeks' time in England's first World Cup qualifiers. It seems appropriate then that United's red devil always sports a trident.

Keegan hopes it will resurface tonight against a France team that is expected to treat the game as a carnival occasion to celebrate their Euro 2000 triumph, and also the international retirements of captain Didier Deschamps and Laurent Blanc.

French minds may be less focused than in their last game against Italy therefore, but they will still not want to lose. That way Blanc can retire with the famous back four's resounding record of no defeats in 29 matches intact. Blanc, Marcel Desailly,

Bixente Lizarazu and Lilian Thuram began their run in October 1996. Fabien Barthez, though, is out injured.

Thus it is a formidable task facing Andrew Cole. With Emile Heskey and Kevin Phillips injured, and Michael Owen left on the bench by Keegan, Cole has been given first refusal in the quest to succeed Alan Shearer as England's principal striker. At 28 and with only two England starts behind him, Cole knows that time and chances are slipping away if he is ever to be regarded as a truly international class forward, though his attitude is: "I don't have to prove anything to the public.

"When people say that international football is a step up in class from the Premiership, well, I play in the Champions' League every week and hold my own. People may say, `He has started two games, come on in five and still not scored,' but who can judge anyone on that? I'm not a very good substitute, I need a good run in the team. I've never been given a chance. I'm 29 in October and I don't know how much longer I have to go."

It was Keegan, of course, who turned Cole into a Manchester United player by selling him from Newcastle, but Cole insisted that both parties had "moved on from there".

Keegan, too, was keen to stress Cole's development as a player and as an individual since his Tyneside days. "When he came to Newcastle he was 19, just a kid," Keegan said. "Now he's a man. He's become very adaptable at Manchester, he's much improved and he's five years older. In fact the only thing he's doing the same is scoring goals. He's learnt really well." Judging by Cole's woeful finishing in training yesterday morning at the Stade de France, a few more lessons are required nonetheless.

At Newcastle Cole was at his best in tandem with Peter Beardsley and Keegan will want Scholes to try and perform a Beardsley-like role, linking midfield to Cole, dropping deep, being elusive yet involved. The alteration in tactic from the rigid 4-4-2 that failed so badly at Euro 2000 is a tacit admission that Scholes is not a regular midfielder, one who can be trusted to track back. "I've wanted to play this way for a long time," said Keegan, "we did think about it in the summer."

Not hard enough, it seems, but at least this formation amounts to a belated recognition by Keegan that international opposition will not be outdone by long balls to a static striker like Shearer. It is noticeable that Shearer's withdrawal has taken away a major presence, which, some would say, including Cole and the new captain Tony Adams, was also a major shadow. Even Keegan was pushed to say: "There are three or four of them in training who are demanding a little more, of themselves and of others."

So Shearer is gone, and from the midfield in all three games against Portugal, Germany and Romania, so is Paul Ince. Consequently, up steps Beckham to show if he can do for England in a central position what he does for United wide on the right - exert serious influence.

"I've got the opportunity to look at David in that position in a big game," said Keegan, "obviously I don't get that chance watching Manchester United. But he can play the role, there's no doubt about it. I want him more involved." Facing Patrick Vieira, Beckham should know he is involved quick enough. Beckham's absence on the right allows the return of Darren Anderton.

The fourth United player to get an extended mention yesterday was Philip Neville, dropped in favour of Gareth Barry. Neville has taken constant abuse ever since tripping Viorel Moldovan.

This England looks more balanced than before, yet the inclusion of Barry at left back means that with Sol Campbell at right back England have four central defenders in defence. There is also the concern that while Keegan may have stumbled on a more so phisticated line-up, he still gave the impression that he would be happier with winning badly than losing well.

Maybe the French could tell him that friendlies are more about performances than results. They, after all, have two years of them ahead.

ENGLAND: Seaman, Barry, Adams (capt), Keown, Campbell, Barmby, Wise, Beckham, Anderton, Scholes, Cole.

FRANCE: (possible): Lama; Candela, Blanc, Desailly, Lizarazu; Petit, Deschamps, Zidane, Djorkaeff; Trezeguet, Henry.