When you say being in the friends zone with a girl, consider this. If she was to walk out of a bathroom naked and asked to have sex with you, would you do it? I mean, would you risk your friendship over some intimacy. If it's a yes, then forget about getting too close and friendly with her, you don't need female friends that'll tell you about how she's hooking up with other guys.
In general, I don't need female friends. I hang with the boys, I have my poker nights with the guys, and workout with the crew. This also goes with the idea that I don't like having ugly female friends, I just don't want to go out with her and have to look at her all day. I just don't.
If you are single, I say avoid the friend zone, what do you need female friends for anyways? Picking out new shoes? Hang with the boys and talk about guy stuff, screw fashion trends and female insight on the dating world, they don't know what they want anyways.