The meek surrender in Polokwane means Les Bleus’ clash with South Africa could be the coach’s last
RAYMOND DOMENECH cut such a pathetic, resigned and broken figure in the bowels of the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Thursday it was almost possible to feel sympathy for him. The word “almost” should be emphasised.
Domenech’s players had let him and the country down horribly against Mexico. The inexplicably meek surrender in Polokwane has left Les Bleus with one point in Group A, meaning Tuesday’s clash with South Africa will most likely be Domenech’s last in charge.
France must win well while hoping Uruguay and Mexico do not draw, yet the belief has all but disappeared. “I don’t know what to say,” Domenech mumbled at the post-match conference. “All I feel now is disappointment. I’ll need time to digest this and analyse what happened.”
Domenech stuck for words? When France bowed out of Euro 2008, the annoyingly self-confident trainer at least mustered enough strength to propose to his girlfriend in a television interview.
How he must have wanted to drop the façade and offer honest views on his largely spoiled and arrogant players. Sidney Govou, Bacary Sagna, Abou Diaby and Eric Abidal, in particular, looked as though they would have rather been on holiday than out chasing pacy, elusive Mexicans.
Nicolas Anelka barely even broke into a sweat during his 45 minutes on the pitch. Did Domenech regret starting the Chelsea attacker? “I’m not here to condemn individuals,” he said through gritted teeth. “The problem is the team. We need to find a way to pick ourselves up.”
But how do you motivate a group who, astonishing as it may sound given the stage they are performing on, clearly don’t want to play with one another?
If the 58-year-old is keeping his counsel, for now, others have not spared France’s serial underperformers. Patrick Vieira said his former team-mates “didn’t show desire”, while World Cup-winning defender Bixente Lizarazu accused Anelka of inexcusable laziness.
“I was shocked,” Lizarazu said. “Anelka wasn’t aggressive and didn’t even look interested. Domenech took him off at half-time but should have done it sooner. He was walking at times. Walking at a World Cup! It was a symbolic image.”
Another symbolic image was that of Domenech during the game. Leaning casually against the side of the dugout with a hand on his hip, the former Lyon coach’s laissez-faire body language contrasted vividly with the constant encouraging and cajoling of his opposite number Javier Aguirre. He seemingly knew the game was up from an early stage and did not even use his full allocation of substitutes.
France’s longest-serving trainer will not leave an entirely negative legacy when he is replaced by Laurent Blanc this summer. He did, after all, reach the World Cup final in 2006, although Zinedine Zidane’s dramatic return has rightly been heralded as the key factor in that achievement.
Ever since Zidane dusted off his international boots and convinced Lilian Thuram and Claude Makelele to do likewise, Domenech has had to grapple with player power. Coach of France’s Under-21s for more than a decade, he has never won a major trophy – as his critics love to remind him – and has never commanded the respect of his senior men.
In last November’s World Cup play-off against the Republic of Ireland, Domenech’s lack of authority was evident again. Despite the coach telling Bordeaux’s Yoann Gourcuff he was the playmaker and free-kick taker, Thierry Henry and Anelka decided otherwise. Henry took all set-pieces, and the pair constantly dropped deep, slowed the play and got in Gourcuff’s way.
Gourcuff’s situation is central to the current internal strife. It is widely acknowledged that Henry, Anelka and Florent Malouda do not particularly like the creative 23-year-old, who is regarded as the natural successor to Zidane. They feel the positive press he receives is undeserved given his recent poor form and they also object to his cold, aloof character.
Reports in the build up to the Uruguay match claimed several key players were urging Domenech to drop Gourcuff and reinstate Henry. Domenech for once stood firm, keeping Gourcuff at the hub of his malfunctioning 4-3-3.
This choice added substance to suggestions Domenech was at last running the show. Opting to leave out Karim Benzema and Samir Nasri because of their disruptive influences at Euro 2008 was another strong indication the hierarchy was changing.
Gourcuff did not impress in the goalless draw with the South Americans, but then nor did any French players.
It was nevertheless Gourcuff who became the scapegoat, losing his place to Malouda against Mexico. “I don’t know why I was dropped,” Gourcuff said. “We didn’t create much against Uruguay but that wasn’t only my fault. I feel like I’m the one who has paid the price.”
Gourcuff, like most of France, will no doubt be looking forward to working with Blanc, under whom he flourished with Bordeaux. He may also be happy to see the back of some of France’s older servants.
In the wake of Thursday’s result, Domenech is again bearing the brunt of the country’s anger. “The team resembles its coach. He’s not good and we’re not good,” said Robert Pires, summing up the thoughts of many.
Domenech has not helped his cause by distancing himself from the media and committing too many PR blunders. The truth, though, is his hands have been tied for much of his six-year reign. Domenech-bashing is fun, and he deserves some flak, but the players are the real culprits. Indeed, Blanc is likely to discover much has changed since 1998.
FRENCH PRESS LET 'IMPOSTEURS' HAVE IT
THE FRENCH media did not hold back in their condemnation of Raymond Domenech’s side after Thursday’s 2-0 defeat by Mexico.
L'Equipe'sfront page headline boomed "Imposteurs!" above a photo of Franck Ribery. The sports daily said the "hapless" showing had "made a mockery of claims by Domenech and the players that this team actually has some character".
It continued: “This morning the national team is a field of devastation. We feel no sadness, no desolation and, above all, no anger. It would be wrong to waste emotion on a team that has given us nothing.”
L'Equipedid not spare Domenech or any players, but also accused the French FA of incompetence. "The France team is heading out of the exit door and towards complete meltdown," it read. "The coach, the FA and a generation of supposedly important players have totally and utterly failed."
The general press was equally damning. Le Figaroran the headline "At the bottom of an abyss", while Liberation called it "A blue nightmare".
France Soirsuggested Les Bleus do not even deserve to be in South Africa. "They have disgraced the blue jersey," it claimed. "This team, riddled by cliques, has no place at this World Cup."
