France soccer fans firmly believe Olympique Lyon's Gregory Coupet should be France's first-choice goalkeeper for the 2006 World Cup after Coupet grabbed more than two thirds of the vote in a recent poll, against the current no.1 choice for Raymond Domenech's Les Bleus, Fabien Barthez.

In an opinion poll to be published by France Football magazine on Friday, 69 percent of those polled expressed their desire for Coupet to be first-choice, while only 28 percent said Olympique Marseille's Fabien Barthez should remain in goal.

34 year-old Barthez has been France's number one since Les Bleus triumphant 1998 World Cup campaign and was a key member of the Euro 2000 winning team.

But 33-year-old Coupet, who has helped Gerard Houllier's Lyon to four consecutive French Championnat titles, has now claimed the position after saying he was tired of sitting on the bench.

Barthez was suspended for almost six months last year for spitting at a referee during a friendly match with Marseille in Morocco, and his irregular style has left the keeper open to much criticism.

However, Gregory Coupet has proved to be a reliable replacement for Barthez, and France were struggling in qualification during the early stages, but since the emergence of Coupet France qualified top of their group ahead of the Republic of Ireland and Israel for the World Cup Finals in Germany.

France coach Raymond Domenech had been due to make a definite choice between the two keepers back in November when France played their last two friendly international matches of 2005.

However, he delayed his announcement, hinting that he could make a decision in time for the match on March 1 when France host Slovakia at the Stade de France in their World Cup warm-up.

Domenech is expected to name his squad for the match against Slovakia on Feb. 23.

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