Chimbonda resigned to missing finals

Jeroen

24 april 2006, 09:20

Wigan defender Pascal Chimbonda believes being named in the Professional Footballers' Association's Team of the Year has come too late to land him a place in France coach Raymond Domenech's World Cup squad.

Chimbonda was on Sunday night honoured by his peers following a superb debut season at right-back for Wigan, earning his place among the PFA elite ahead of the likes of Gary Neville and Steve Finnan. No-one had heard of Chimbonda when Latics boss Paul Jewell snapped up the 27-year-old last summer for what has since proven to be a bargain 500,000 from Bastia.

Chimbonda said: "I have not given up hope. The window is still open, but the manager tends to look at the bigger players at the bigger clubs. Maybe he did not think Wigan would do as well as they have, so in that respect it will hardly be a surprise if I don't make it."