Coupet, Zidane and Pires Speak Out Against the Status Quo at the FFF

October 1st, 2008 | by: Laurie |

As has been mentioned in the comments, there has been a lot of criticism in the French press lately about the way the FFF and Domenech are running things, most of it coming from former French players. The biggest surprise? Zinedine Zidane, on Canal+. (I’ve looked for videos with no luck. If anybody finds one, can you post a link in the comments?)

Here he’s talking about Jean-Pierre Escalettes keeping Domenech as EdF manager in defiance of the wishes of the 1998 World Cup-winning team, like Bixente Lizarazu, Cristophe Dugarry, and Emanuel Petit, who were vocally anti-Domenech after Euro 2008 and would have preferred one of their own, possibly Didier Deschamps.

Escalettes was reported to have spoken out against the 1998 team, and even went so far as to call the them a “clan.”

Says Zidane:

“It’s scandalous to hear that coming from the president of the FFF,” Zidane rages, “When he [Escalettes] talks of lobbying from the team of 1998, which he called a clan that was putting pressure on the selector, he is false. Everyone has the right to speak and say what they think of the French international side. I did it on my own without meeting anybody.

“His remarks are disrespectful considering what we brought to the French team. And he has used it as an excuse to hide behind his decision to maintain the coach!”

Dugarry says that the true clan are the members of the council.

Other former EdF members who’ve spoken out recently against the status quo include Robert Pires and Gregory Coupet.

Says Coupet:

“The players can’t talk – they’re gagged,” he told France Football. “Me, I’m talking about it because I’ve left. But it’s a dictatorship that has been put in place. You have the FFF, Les Bleus’ staff, and they all need to look at themselves in the mirror.

“It’s so sad because there is enormous quality in this group and it is being spoiled. It’s madness that lads with so much talent feel so uncomfortable playing for Les Bleus.” He added: “I liked what the former players said, like Lizarazu or Dugarry. (Giving him three games) wasn’t enough.”

Escalette’s response to Zidane, which I don’t have the time to fully translate tonight, is here. It basically says, “Zidane has the right to say what he wants, and I love-love-love all the guys from 1998.”

And Frederic Thiriez, president of the Ligue de Football Professionnel and vice-président délégué of the FFF, responded:

“We need the knowledge and the experience of our [former champion players]. It is necessary that they work with us. It is what we [are working toward] with the arrival of Boghossian and I also hope that Thuram soon will enter the federal council.”

And the biggest question in my mind after reading all of this is: Can the team overcome all of this turmoil and strife and even qualify for WC 2010?

Tags: Euro 2008

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Comments

By Jean Pierre | October 1st, 2008 at 1:49 pm

Zidane Forever

What Coupet says is cool

man what a rubbish stuff, in the netherlands there is a very good atmosphere between the coach, staff and players

damn we got a team of french talented players and no one knows what to do with them

Posted from Netherlands

By sandrahn | October 1st, 2008 at 3:59 pm

Depressing stuff. Glad to see these guys speaking out!!

Posted from United States

By Foreverzidane | October 1st, 2008 at 7:00 pm

First of all what a cheap shot by you “Zidane Forever” to use my nick name and reverse it!
I never saw you in the stands at Stade de France Sept 10 2008 traveling thousands of miles from your country which I doubt it’s Holland as me being from Canada and the system for some reason says U.S.A. !
Now having said that for those of you who were not there only 2/3 of the stadium was full. I was quite discouraged but when I spoke to the Parisians
who were beside me I was told that the French don’t support a team blindly.
There were a few funny chants by the French supporters against Domenech.
The second half they showed glimpses of what they used to be even with out
Ribery or Zidane, they absolutely dominated and should’ve scored a lot more. The weak point as we all know is the their vulnerability of the BACK ONE William Gallas, who also is the weak link for the Gunners.
I have no idea who could replace Gallas but it’s time for him to retire at P.S.G. just like the rest of his past teammates. Domenech can’t be missing all those opportunities, the players are just as responsible for their lack of execution, although why would you wait till injury time in the second half to bring on the very talented Flamini is to be questioned. Sorry to say but this team does not have that spirit that the great teams of 86, 98 possessed. Also these players are playing a lot more matches for their club side and there is only so much that your body and mind can take. Looking forward to a victory against Romania with or with out Domenech.
Allez Les Bleus and Go Arsenal

By Jean-Michel | October 1st, 2008 at 7:39 pm

Unfortunately the answer to Laurie’s question is maybe. The team does not really have the ambition nor the character to coach itself. To completely cancel out Domenech’s influence on the game and play beautiful football for 90 minutes seems to be a bit much to ask of this young group. Henry is a company man, Gallas has no influence (a wonder how he managed to get the captaincy @ Arsenal), Ribery publicly supported Domenech over the summer which makes him either a company man or smart, Abidal, Malouda, Evra, & Govou have not exactly won over the French fans yet, and Anelka seems to be on a strict no comment policy about the FFF and Domenech since his reinstatement to the team during the Euro qualifying campaign. Everything suggests what Coupet is saying is true and that the players are not at ease when on the pitch. That said, you really cannot compare them to the ‘98 or ‘06 squads. There isn’t that seasoned group of players who have had enormous success to rally around and deflect some of this anti-football garbage that we’ve been seeing for about two years. It’s good that Zidane finally spoke out and more or less legitimized what the black listed Pires has been saying for years.

By outa control | October 2nd, 2008 at 5:25 am

@ foreverzidane, this may not have much to do with the FFF but everything to do with Gallas, i think we can do better. I wonder how he got the band at arsenal too, he plays just a little better than sendaros who we all know…………(fill in the blanks. i wonder how all this got pass Wenger with eye for talent???

But bottom line my friend, i agree with u all the way.

Posted from United States

By Michel-Olivier | October 2nd, 2008 at 9:49 am

French squad to face Romania and Tunisia

Goalkeepers: Lloris (Lyon), Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders: Abidal (Barcelona), Clichy (Arsenal), Evra (Manchester United), Fanni (Rennes), Gallas (Arsenal), Mèxes (Roma), Sagna (Arsenal), Squillaci (Sevilla)

Midfielders: A. Diarra (Bordeaux), L. Diarra (Portsmouth), Gourcuff (Bordeaux), Malouda (Chelsea), Ribéry (Bayern Munich), Toulalan (Lyon), Vieira (Inter Milan)

Forwards: Anelka (Chelsea), Ben Arfa (Marseille), Benzema (Lyon), Henry (Barcelona), Sinama-Pongolle (Atlético Madrid)

Posted from United States

By metamoralia | October 2nd, 2008 at 10:03 am

… no Flamini, Nasri, Govou (who I think got injured in Lyon’s CL game yesterday).

Viera is “In,” but Henry’s still the captain.

Malouda’s a surprise … but surely not to start.

Sinama-Pongolle is a more pleasant surprise.

I guess the two CBs will be Gallas/Abidal again.

Any word on the Romania squad? They were hurting and pretty depleted for the first round of games.

Posted from Canada

By Jean Pierre | October 2nd, 2008 at 1:18 pm

@ “foreverzidane”
uhh… what the chicken are you talking about?
1)U use too much difficult english so i dont understand wholely what ur saying
2)ye ive never been in stade de france coz ma parents dont wanna drive “some miles” to drop me at paris and ill have to wait 4 years left till im 18 and drive there on ma own
3)whats wrong with saying Zidane forever????????

lol ur pretty weird, luckily you dont support italy mongolia holland or something

Posted from Netherlands

By Foreverzidane | October 2nd, 2008 at 7:50 pm

@ Jean Pierre
I thought you’re taking shots @ me, but thanks for your clarification.
You gotta taste the Marquez sandwich which was very tasty
at the Stade, not to mention the girl that was serving it. The only thing “WEIRD” was the Co-ed washroom. Section G row 10 seat 15 will always be remembered in my memories!
Thanks to the Pope, I couldn’t see St.Germain as their match was postponed to the Sunday that I left
for Toronto. Next trip coming soon.

By Jean Pierre | October 3rd, 2008 at 9:51 am

ty for the tip zidanefreak but i think by the time i got to stade de france the sandwich girl retired
cool that u travel so much to see Les Bleus