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| Wednesday 18 June, 2008 |
| Blog: French farce |
| While we are all glad that Italy progressed at France's expense, Steve Wilson looks at where Raymond Domenech went wrong |
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As much as we enjoyed the fact that Italy reached the Euro 2008 quarter-finals with their win over France, there was almost a similar level of satisfaction in seeing the demise of Raymond Domenech. The sniping French tactician has been a thorn in Italy's side since the World Cup Final, but you can't help feel he was the master of his own destruction this summer.
Known to pick his squad based on such peculiarities as a player's star sign, his final selection of 23 baffled many observers. Firstly the decision to axe Philippe Mexes. The Roma centre-back has had a fine season but was overlooked in that position as Domenech called-up Lilian Thuram, William Gallas, Jean-Alain Boumsong and Sebastian Squillaci.
How much would he have liked to have had Mexes on the bench when Thuram's sanity went walk about ahead of the Italy game? Instead he played Eric Abidal out of place, a decision that backfired when he was dismissed. The theory is that Domenech believes Mexes to be a disruptive element in the dressing room - but what price a little disharmony in return for a last eight place?
Following the 4-1 annihilation by Holland it would not have been unreasonable to consider switching goalkeeper. Gregory Coupet is a fine and solid 'keeper, but would Sebastien Frey - a former teammate of Italy striker Luca Toni at Fiorentina - not have been a worthy option? Coupet's confidence had taken a battering, while Frey would have relished winning only his third cap.
Next up is midfield. Why keep Patrick Vieira in the squad when he can play no part through injury? Unless you are a minnow nation and your star man is the player in question I don't think taking a half-fit man to a tournament is ever wise. The guy left out, new Milan signing Mathieu Flamini, had a more than accomplished season at Arsenal and would have benefitted from the experience.
Finally in attack the decision to leave out Serie A's second top scorer - David Trezeguet - now seems madness. Admittedly, I also said time was up for Trez as I truly felt Karim Benzema would shine alongside Thierry Henry. However, can anyone really argue that Bafetimbi Gomis offered more than the Juve man? It's easy with hindsight to say so, but DT should have been in the squad.
There is a key theme amongst the players Domenech discarded or under-used. Frey, Mexes, Flamini, Trezeguet - all Serie A or peninsula-bound players. It seems logical to me that if you are playing Italy in a crucial game you should make the most of players used to their style. Did Domenech's anti-Italian attitude really go so far as to prejudice his national selection?
The fall-out in France is beginning to reveal the nasty truth of life in Dom's squad. Even the inclusion of the apparently popular Vieira, caught on camera in a tunnel bust-up with Patrice Evra after the Holland game, and the exclusion of moody Mexes couldn't save it from splitting down the middle. Maybe the Gallic puppet master should have embraced La Dolce Vita, but…c'est la vie.
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Raymond Domenech is a joke and should be taken as such. As a coach of a team one should be willing to admit responsibility and, thus, grow as a tactician.
Instead of blaming the Azzurri, this time Domenech has taken aim at the referee’s decision to award a penalty and red card.
It is now blatantly obvious to all that Domenech does not make his selections from a team perspective; instead, he makes his decisions based on external factors such as grudges from previous performances. I’m sure monsieur Trezeguet is all smiles at this moment seeing as how France only managed a single goal in this tournament.
As a true soccer fan, I feel bad for the French people who have a man who seems to be so inflexible that he even while his submarine is sinking he will not admit to having any leaks.
Giovanni
Domenech's mistake is being born in the first place, then came a whole lot of many mistakes lol.
Mohammed Ahmed Al Nuaimi
This blog entry is opportunistic nonsense. It's just an insult to football, written about something - the French national team - that the author doesn't know anything about. And thanks for making your lack of credibility obvious to everyone else with the ridiculous suggestion that it would have been a good idea to replace Coupet with Sebastian Frey for a game of such great importance. Frey may have been a team-mate of Toni, he may know a few things about Italian players, but Christ, this is not a friendly match, it's not even qualification, it's the match that decides a quarterfinalist. You don't just throw in a man who's barely played any internationals in his whole career. I'm sick of reading all these one-sided rubbish statements from "League supporters". Trez is a brilliant striker, but he just doesn't work for Domenech. He's been given chances, but in the end it didn't work. He didn't deliver like he used to. The blog clearly suggests that it's some sort of an anti-Italian thing by Domenech to not add Italy-based players. Why? Because the only thing this blinded perspective tells you is that Trezeguet plays in the Serie A. Had he been from the Premiership or La Liga, he'd been completely out of the picture as far as this blog is concerned. And here's another thing. A disruptive element in the dressing room, as it was put, isn't something you accept in order to progress. It's something that in theory will prevent you from living up to your full potential. I wonder how such an obvious fact couldn't be grasped by Mr Wilson. Or not. Also, Mexes has seen his fare share of expulsions during his Roma career, so he might as well have been victim of the same thing Abidal turned out to be. Sure enough Domenech has not been an excellent coach for France this tournament, but in the end only that one decisive moment with Toni v. Abidal may make Donadoni look better. He made his mistakes, the Maklele-Toulalan thing being one, but that was not NOT bringing in Serie A players, for the supposed "prejudice" against Italy.
Hossein Nayebagha
I have always had a problem with Domenech, he has never been able to unite the French players in my mind and yesterdays game showed that more than any other. The French players did not seem up for it at any point last night or in the other two matches, some might say that it is down to the players to perform once they are on the pitch, but if they have no confidence in the Coach it makes things so much harder.
It may be easy for all of us to say he should have done this or that, but leaving out some of the players he did was absolute madness. I've always believed that when it comes to a big tournament you should select the players that are on form, there should be no room for sentiment. Thuram should have never been selected, it pains me to say it but he is past his best, Trezeguet should have gone, the guy scored 20 goals for Juventus and was in great form. These are just two of many examples why Domenech doomed the French before a ball had even been kicked.
This is a sad time for French football, they have had some wonderful moments over the past ten years and it must be hard to take. The best thing would be to get rid of Domenech and many of the older players and start all over again.
Rodney
Good blog on how much of a farce the French are. They really were a joke and Domenech is a sorry excuse for a manager. The bias against Italian players has always been my biggest gripe with Domenech - the exclusion of Trezeguet being the most pertinent example of how far it goes (assuming that is indeed the reason he leaves so many Italian-based Frenchmen out of the squad, which I suppose is up to debate - perhaps it's just a coincidence and it's really their star signs that are keeping them out).
While I agree that Frey has been hard done by in the past as a result of the apparent bias against players plying their trade in Italy, I cannot accept your point that he possibly should have started against Italy. He was kept out of the squad for far too long without question. I believe it was at the expense of a poor goalkeeper Landreau (who gifted Scotland their victory over the French in Paris in the qualification campaign). However, Coupet is a World class 'keeper and what's a farce is that he didn't start in goals during the 2006 World Cup. This was as a result of Domenech's clear allegiance to the 'old-guard' that won the 1998 & 2000 tournaments and hence Barthez started.
However, Coupet deservedly got his chance this time around and he's one of the few French players I feel sorry for after last night's exit. He's a fantastic goalkeeper and has hardly put a foot wrong in this tournament. The second Dutch goal did hit his hand on the way in but that was point-blank range and was certainly not an error. As for the third goal, I wouldn't blame him. It was awful defending from Thuram and sometimes onlookers take a blanket view that when a striker is at a certain acute angle, he should never be able to score without fault from the 'keeper. As a goalkeeper myself, I am firmly of the opinion that that's not true. Playing a powerful shot high into the roof of the net is the one area the ball can go without the keeper being culpable (obviously it all depends on the circumstances).
As for the Italy match itself, Coupet was clearly faultless - a penalty and a deflection. He also made a brilliant save from Grosso's free-kick tipping it onto the post and dealt with everything else very well.
Frey's still young and I'm sure his day to start for France will be soon. But I don't think that time's arrived yet. Coupet is still top drawer and I was dismayed to hear that he's considering retirement from football after the World Cup. I really hope that isn't the case. Personally as a Milan fan, I hope the Rossoneri snap him up if he's on the market. It would be a shame if he retired now.
The main reason for this e-mail was to defend Coupet but other than that, spot on with the blog.
Vahan
First of all, I would like to wish Monsieur Domenech a happy marriage! And hope that both horoscopes match otherwise its a big disgrace for the bride!
Regardless of being an anti-Italian, Mr Domenech made me feel that he is anti-French too! Leaving such a talented goal hacker like Trez out? Trez is currently in a superb form at Juve, and proved his metal on both international and club career throughout the past 10 years, and it was so clear in France's adventure in Euro 2008, the French attack did miss Trez, they missed a real player who can end it in the net, and not to miss mention Henry’s huge drop since joining Barcelona. And it does not stop here. Dropping other French talents like Mexes, Flamini, and choosing either injured or not-in-form players such as Thuram. All of this caused the French humiliation in Euro 2008, and rather then explaining and clarifying the situation to the trophy hungry French nation, Monsieur Domenech prefers to talk about his personal marriage plans, and give a huge disrespect for the ambitious French. Dont you think Dom is anti-French too.
Hasan Al-Mudaifa
The post mortem that seems to have surrounded the French side has been viewed in sections of the British media with the reverence that would normally only be extended for the passing of lost greats. Let’s face it, this side had Henry, Makelele and Thuram who were truly world class but for 2 of these guys it was clearly at a tournament too far.
That there are young Turks waiting in the wings might have been something worth acknowledging at the beginning of the event by truly blooding them – this would surely fall to the Coach and his philosophy to convince the public that this was the way forward.
Domenech has never been keen to take responsibility for his own actions though & blaming the whole country of Italy, referees and anyone but himself is the way of the true coward. Too afraid to seek answers in himself.
With this match he has truly excelled himself on at least the following counts:
1. His failure to pick a side capable of winning the match. His desire to play negatively smacks of the kind of Italian mentality that he has so often rounded on since his stewardship began.
2. Trying to blame the referee for the penalty and dismissal. Yes, it might have spoilt the game as a spectacle, this is not Billy Smart’s circus though, it is an international football match, for which a last man who unfairly brings down an opponent in the box is punished with the kick against the team & the red card. Blame the player, blame yourself but not the ref, that shirks responsibility.
3. The lack of any coherent game plan or any increased urgency as the last 20 minutes dawned. Yes he had been unlucky to a degree with Ribery, who let’s not forget had been injured fouling Zambrotta and having to rejig his side after the sending off, but keeping shape after consolidating at 1-0 down, they should have asked Italy more questions.
4. Finally his arrogance - evidenced by his ludicrous proposal to his (admittedly very beautiful) girlfriend. Does he think that all the anger a whole nation feels towards their fallen heroes for failing to match expectations can be dissipated by such a saccharine gesture? Is it going to bring the sun into people’s lives who feel betrayed by the underperforming squad? ‘Not only does Domenech get to f*** us up, he also gets to f*** a beautiful woman’, you would not be surprised to hear the average French man mutter under his breath.
One can have very little sympathy for a man who has remained aloof like a Royal at the time of revolution yet asked the public to indulge him in his follies and foibles to the point where the casual observer views him with the same suspicion of a half-assed Quack, offering his panaceas for goodness off the back of his covered wagon before running for the hills with a case full of booty gained from the toils of a willing yet gullible populous.
Italy, for one, will be glad to see the back of him - or will they? His competitive record against the Azzuri in the last 2 tournaments has not been good, so why get rid of him, you might imagine the authorities thinking!
J Yeomans
Re: Hossein Nayebagha
Sir, you are either blind or stupid. Mexes and Trezegol have been in great form all season, Henry has been played on the flank, and he hasn't been in great form. I really dont think Gomis was a sane pick, the other reason Gomis was picked ahead of Trez is that a few months ago, and when the Euro Champs qualifiers where on, italy where playing France and Domenech claimed that Italy bought the referee in the 2000 Olympics in the game against france, Trez was decent enough to put an end to Domenech's nonsense. Back then Louis Saha was picked, who had just returned from injury, and David Trezeguet wasn't called up, and the reason for his expulsion was? I'll leave that to you, keep in mind that Trez was leading the Italian scoring charts with 10 goals at the time.
As for Mexes, well Viera has an explosive personality too, and Sagnol too, I mean if every good player who had a tough personality wasn't picked, then we would of never seen Maradona play. I just want to make one point clear, I'm a Huge Roma fan, and believe me Phillipe Mexes was the best French Defender all season, Gallas was bellow par, Thuram was past his prime, Abidal plays on the left and so on...
Those who claim that Frey doesn't have enough experience, well I urge you to go on to YouTube and look at your very experienced goalkeeper and what he did against Holland, and then whilst your there, type "Frey vs. Everton". Frey was undoubtedly one of the best goalkeepers in Serie A and most probably the best goalkeeper in Serie A.
I really don't know why Flamini was dropped but I guess it's because he joined Milan or something. A half-fit Viera, who has a very bad season by his own standards is better than one of the best defensive midfielders in the world?
I'll let you guys be the judges. YouTube is just round the corner for all of you who dont believe a word I said.
Domenech is a shame to France, they have more than capable managers in the form of Deschamps, Houllier, Wenger amongst others, who are good managers with great judgments and are actually qualified for the job!
Yousef Khalfan
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