Domenech Holds On To Injured Players (and Club Managers Aren’t Happy)

November 14th, 2007 | by: Laurie |

You know why I love Managerial Musical Chairs at the club level? Because with every new rotation, Raymond gets a whole new set of managers to piss off. How boring it would be if it had just been Arsene and Houllier over and over?

Latest on the list is Bolton’s Gary Megson, who is none too happy that Nicolas Anelka is living life at Clairefontaine rather than back home in England where Megson feels he belongs. Says Gary:

“He is suffering from an elongation in the thigh and the diagnosis forecasts he’ll be unavailable for six weeks. It would be an immense error on their part to say that he can remain and thus train or play. It would be a nightmare for Nic and for us.”

Domenech is unimpressed by this argument.

“Nico is called up. He will see the doctor and we will know where he is,” explained the sélectionneur. “If he is fit, he stays. If he is not fit, he will return to his club, even though I think that the best place to be looked after is [here]. Every day he has four kinés to care for him. He has only that to do. We can give him all the tests we want.”

Domenech then goes on to talk about not just Nico, but also Florent Malouda and Jérémy Toulalan, who are also injured.

“I am very optimistic, especially after having discussed this with them. It is they who are directing this. And they want this.”

If you’re Megson, or Alain Perrin (Toulalan, Lyon,) or Avram Grant (Malouda, Chelsea), are you getting a little nervous here? And then the article goes on to say,

Domenech does not hide that he is counting on them, and that he hopes that they will play. “If they are called up, it is because I think that they have the ability. Sometimes, in four or five days, one can recover. The motivation for an international match makes it possible to get past the lack of [recent] competition. I am more anxious when it’s long-term. I could have taken Willy Sagnol but he has not played for 7-8 months. Somebody who doesn’t play for two or three weeks, it is not problematic. Often, they recover and they play. We saw that with William Gallas lately. Thus I do not see why I would not select them.”

And tonight, Gary, Alain and Avram are saying little prayers and renewing their prescriptions for Prozac and Nexium.

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http://lyon.theoffside.com Inara

The FFF routinely posts pictures of the EDF training, and they had one showing Jeremy Toulalan practicing with everyone else, albeit with his knee wrapped up. So maybe we might see him get some time against Morocco.

I didn’t see Malouda though.

http://www.fff.fr/serv/diaporama.php?id=407746
Laurie

Those pictures make me cold just looking at them. They all look like their noses are running.
Laurie

And l’Equipe says Toulalan took part in normal training.
Jean-Michel

There must be something mystical about Clairefontaine that we don’t know about. Players arrive injured and leave in tip top form. Those comments are humorous. Its basically Domenech playing God again. Go team!
Doumé

Sorry this is off the subject (well kind of), but I came across an interview with Samir Nasri in Le Figaro
http://www.lefigaro.fr/sport/2007/11/14/02001-20071114ARTFIG00235-ne-pas-attendre-litalie.php

Here are a couple of tidbits:
“Q: Is there a team viewing of Scotland-Italy scheduled?
SN: I still don’t know…but if not, I’ll figure out how to watch it alone”

“Q: do you have a favotite for Scotland-Italy?
SN: (…) if you want my pronostic, I would say a tie.”

“Q: (about Ben-Arfa) are you surprised by his sudden blooming?
SN: No, because, from the start, in the youth NT, he was without a doubt the most talented among us all”

Oh, the ego on him!
Laurie

I read an interview somewhere that said Raymond is considering short-circuiting all the TVs at Clairefontaine so they can’t watch. He wants them to hit the nightclubs or play cards. (His words.) I’ll see if I can’t find the link.
Laurie

And I’m also expecting a tie for Scotland-Italy.
http://lyon.theoffside.com/player-news-and-rumors/how-come-i-didnt-know-that-cris-has-a-twin.html How Come I Didn’t Know That Cris Has a Twin? – Player News and Rumors – The Offside – Olympique Lyonnais French Football Blog

[...] to Laurie who reported it [...]
http://betting.betfair.com/football Football Betting Boy

I think the managers have every right to be concerned over their players fitness, but whether they like it or not they have to accept that the players will want to play for their country. This is obviously what Domenech means when he says “they want this.”

As for the Scotland-Italy game, well I think on paper it is clear which side your money would be on. However, if the Scots raise their game then this could prove to be a thrilling encounter and go either way.