France return to base camp

May 25th, 2006 | by: Chriso | View Comments

I know France are playing Switzerland in their opening game but does Domenech think trekking in the Alps is the ideal preparation for playing the best yodeler’s in Europe.

The team went on a nice team bonding exercise 3,600 metres to the top of a glacier in Tignes and Gregory Coupet seemed to be enjoying himself before deciding being number two to Fabien Barthez wasn’t his idea of a World Cup and walking out on the team. He returned with his family and Domenech tried to play down the problem saying ‘Gregory Coupet had the blues for a moment. He cracked. Such things can happen.’

On Coupet’s return Domenech added, ‘He decided to come back, nobody is making a big fuss about it. We had an explanation.’ So everything should be happy in Camp France from now on, despite Barthez and Coupet not talking to each other.

I guess going on a hike like this will get the players out of their comfort zones and be a nice change before the really serious training gets going, certainly the scenery looks great and its probably something most of these guys wouldn’t do unless they were told to.
So apart from an upset Coupet and Barthez with a sore calf, a successful day out, lets see what effect it will have on Mexico at the weekend.