Samir Nasri insists France are determined to right the wrongs of their failed Euro 2008 campaign when they kick off World Cup 2010 qualification with an away match against Austria on Saturday.
Les Bleus coach Raymond Domenech survived the chop despite his team's poor showing in Austria and Switzerland, where they picked up just one point from three matches as they failed to get out of their group.
Domenech has vowed to give youth a chance in France's World Cup qualifying campaign, which begins with a trip to Vienna this weekend and is followed by a home match against Serbia in Paris on Wednesday.
And Nasri, one of the new breed, wants to consign the Euros to the past.
"It is a new period which is about to begin," said the Arsenal midfielder.
"What happened to us at the Euros doesn't make sense if you look at the true worth of our team.
"There has been a failure and there have been errors. We have to make sure we don't repeat them."
Nasri has enjoyed a great start to life with the Gunners, where he has been playing on the left of midfield following his summer move from Marseille.
With Florent Malouda, Domenech's regular choice on the left wing, still struggling for game time at Chelsea, Nasri is expected to be given the nod in that position in Saturday's Group Seven curtain-raiser.
"The fact that I am playing at a club like Arsenal can help me move up to that international level," said the 22-year-old, who has played 12 times for France.
"I am still not there yet but I hope to have an important role in the future of this France team."
Aside from Nasri coming in for Malouda, Domenech is likely to stick with the same line-up that started the 3-2 friendly win in Sweden last month.
That would mean Karim Benzema linking up with Thierry Henry in attack, Jeremy Toulalan and Lassana Diarra joining forces in a new-look centre midfield and Philippe Mexes partnering William Gallas at the heart of defence.
In the continued absence of injured Bayern Munich duo Willy Sagnol and Franck Ribery, Bacary Sagna and Sidney Govou - the scorer of a brace against the Swedes - will start at right-back and right midfield respectively.
Manchester United's Patrice Evra should fill in at left-back with Eric Abidal still suspended.
Austria also failed to progress beyond the group stages at the Euros, where they were co-hosts with Switzerland.
But they have a new coach in Karel Bruckner, who left as boss of the Czech Republic this summer, and their 2-2 draw with Italy in a friendly match in Nice in August suggested there was plenty of promise in the squad.
Austria team manager Andreas Herzog said: "France are huge favourites to win the group, but we want to be in the race for second place until the very end.
"This is our minimum goal."
Alex Manninger could be preferred to Jurgen Macho in goal while Paul Scharner, left out of recent Austria squads because of a public spat with former coach Josef Hickersberger, is back involved and should start as one of two defensive midfielders in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Andreas Ivanschitz has retained the captain's armband following a squad vote.
Austria play Lithuania away on Wednesday in their second qualifier.
