Evra keen to put past behind him

Patrice Evra is eager to slot back into the France team with a clean slate following his return to the national fold.

Evra was installed as captain of Les Bleus just prior to the FIFA World Cup in South Africa, but his reputation back home took a beating when the squad went on strike after Nicolas Anelka was evicted for insulting then coach Raymond Domenech.As the captain, the Manchester United left-back shouldered much of the responsibility and accepted a five-match suspension.The 29-year-old, who has now served the ban, insists he wants his reunion with the national team, now under 1998 World Cup winner Laurent Blanc’s tutelage, to be a seamless one. “I want to turn the page. I want to be a solution and not a problem for this new generation,” Evra said. “I worked like a madman in my club to maintain my level and to get the chance to be called up.” “It’s with great pride that I find myself back in the French team, which I missed enormously. The people who know the real Patrice Evra knew I would never give up, that I would fight to come back.”He admitted his standing among sceptics, such as French Sports Minister Chantal Jouanno, will remain tainted by his perceived role in the strikes in South Africa.”When some people see Patrice Evra, they think of the World Cup. I am trying to turn the page, (but) I think I will live with this scar,” he said.Evra, who is expected to take his place at left-back in Friday’s Euro 2012 qualifier against Luxembourg after Eric Abidal underwent surgery to remove a liver tumour, insisted he was a competent leader in South Africa.”Despite all that happened, I was proud to be captain. I put my heart into it. I was at peace with myself. I was the first player to say sorry after the match against South Africa, (and) to ask the players to give up their bonuses,” he said. “When you are captain, you have a bit more responsibility. At the end of the World Cup, I said to all of (the players), ‘Go and take it easy on holiday because if someone has to have their head chopped off it will be me’.””Some people said I was a ringleader, which was totally false. It was as a captain and not as a ringleader, that I took this (punishment).’France coach Blanc held clear-the-air talks with Evra, and said he will be keeping a close eye on the player’s behaviour.The former Bordeaux boss said scoring an early goal against ‘defensive’ Luxembourg was imperative for the team.”In the first leg, we didn’t manage to do that,” Blanc said. “We didn’t play really well, especially on the offensive side.”