Storm in a teacup rages on as Rousselot joins Chambily in calling for Domenech to be replaced

December 17th, 2009 | by: jeff |

This is controversial stuff, I realize. I support Les Bleus and even blog about my adoration, but I’m firmly opposed to the current management setup (Domenech), and I’m willing to suffer accusations of being counter-productive to spread seeds of hope, when I find them, that France could have a fresh start before going into the 2010 World Cup.

“It’s too late!” some cry in agony, as if we were sitting in a stalled car on the railroad tracks, with a steam engine bearing down. Calmly restart the engine, put it in drive, and move on, I say.

Guy Chambily’s remarks earlier this week were so eloquent, in part, because he peeled the scab off the festering wound to expose the trauma afflicting some of his fellow FFF members. These people need an intervention.

I like to quote the reliable Reuters when I can, but I’m only finding stories in French this morning.

About 3 days ago now, Chambily called for Doms to get the axe and said he would move to have a vote on the matter later this week – Friday the 18th, if I’ve got my story straight.

Two of the more traumatized FFF members, Escalettes and Valentin, immediately responded: something to the effect of – let’s sit tight and let the train smash into us. We’ve got great side-impact airbags, etc., etc.

Then the story died for a couple days, but now it’s back up in the French press. My translations may be somewhat dubious, but from what I gather, Jacques Rousselot is another member of the FFF council who has said he’d like to see Doms replaced: “I think that there’s a certain saturation on the part of all of France, on the part of all the observers who say that we must change the things.”

Chambily, who had his neck stuck out for a couple days with no support, is quoted here as saying that he believes 90% of the council members want Domenech out. I’m worried that his estimate is too high, but he insisted this morning that the council will pass something.

FFF VP Christian Teinturier, who can’t imagine accomplishing anything in so little as 6 months, laments that it’s – you guessed it – “Too late” to oust Domenech.

Le Monde is kind of curious to see the final wreckage of the Domenech era.

And that’s just about what I could find this morning. Rousselot joining Chambily is the only concrete good news I could find.

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Jao

What is coming out now going to accomplish? Chambily and Rousselot have obviously expressed their opinion on Domenech in house and they were silence by the highly respected officials, among them Escalettes, who as I stated previously is good friends with Domenech. So after that, go to the media? Why? To get the supporters on your side. We’ve been calling for Domenech’s head for over a year in a half now. Pointless. Jeez, why didn’t they come out when Teinturier refused to vote to retain Domenech after the EURO failure? Why when we’ve secure WC qualification, yes via controversial circumstances, under Domenech, and he basically has six months left in his contract?

Like I said in the previous topic, just wait until after the World Cup. That’s all we can do.
Jeff

Are you sure they were both opponents of keeping Domenech before (privately)?

The way the Chambily story was reported was that it was the first time a member of the FFF council had publicly called for Doms to get the sack, but maybe he’s been beating the same drum behind closed doors the whole time, in which case, it really may be a storm in a teacup.

But not everyone has been calling for Doms’ head for a year and a half. For some it’s been much longer than that, and for some, it’s been more recent.

It was post-world-cup-qualification that Jacquet first spoke out, and he’s famously critical of dissent.
Sir Hard Ass

Viva Le Mexique!!!
Jao

“Are you sure they were both opponents of keeping Domenech before (privately)?”

I don’t know. Maybe they weren’t, maybe they were, but to come out now is simply pointless, isn’t it? Domenech, despite how much I dislike him, has earned the right to manage France at the World Cup. He, through sheer luck and a blind referee, got them there. Teinturier, who’se been critical of Domenech for awhile now, was the only guy to come out and call for Dom’s head after the EURO 2008 failure. Where were Chambily and Rousselot then? Did they not think losing in the group stage of a major international tournament wasn’t humiliating enough? What made them come out so late when Domenech’s tenure is more than likely guaranteed to be over in six months? Their efforts are sincere (maybe), but their timing is awful.
Jeff

Maybe they just think that France are going in the wrong direction with Doms, and that the team have reached a new low point under his direction.
Jean-François

Well, all I have to say is if France gets a new coach, we’ll be lifting the trophy this summer.
http://thebeantownfrog.blogspot.com/ GFC

I think this soap opera has gone on 2 years too long, Dumenech should have been sacked after a terrible Euro 2008. Let us face it, he might have had to face the ax after a terrible World Cup 2006 qualifiers when only the old guard was able to save him…While I realize that there is a very slim chance of changing the jockey at this point I wish that Escalettes would show some back bone and admit his mistake, he paid Domenech his money now let Les Bleus have a chance to do something next summer…

http://thebeantownfrog.blogspot.com/2009/12/fff-needs-to-end-soap-operasack.html