The coach is having doubts

For me France have the easist group as well as Brazil. If he is afraid of Switzerland then what would he be if we happen to face Brazil or Italy or England later on in the competition?

(I really wonder how the FFF haven’t chosen a much better coach like Didier Deshamps who was jobless at that time)

Both Switzerland and S. Korea could pose problems for les Bleus. Recall qualifying? Switzerland’s squad is young, brash and, above all, talented. And, unlike the traditional powers, they are under little pressure. There are several parallels with 1998, and much like that year, France will have to score goals in their first two games to take some of the pressure off. That proved difficult against the Swiss, who know their footballing neighbors well. Should Switzerland get out of the group, along with either France or S. Korea, they could make some noise, up to the quarters even. As to Domenech, yeah, he’s a bit quirky and is not one to appease the press, much like in 1998, and a mec named Jacquet.

I’m always astonished how much objectivity gets lost, when it comes to football.

Switzerland drew France twice in the qualifications. So there. These are not friendlies, where the result doesn’t matter.

I think what Domenech wants to say is (and his counterpart Kuhn has said the same), that the two teams know each other very well by now. Over a period of time, that levels out the technical advantage the French have. France, despite the WC2002, still lives a bit of it’s reputation between 1998 and 2000. Some teams, which haven’t played France in recent years in a competitive match, might be intimidated by the recent World and European Champion. Switzerland on the other side by now know that they can hold against the French and are not scared anymore. That is a problem for Domenech – and I understand him.

As for Croatia, Japan and Australia. Yes, Brasil is certainly the favorite in this group. But they are the favorite for the title, hence they’d be favorite in any group. All three teams are very competitive and certainly do not make the easiest group.

In my opinon Portugal/Mexico have the easiest group (they should definitely both qualify for the next round). And Spain’s group shouldn’t be too difficult either.

If the coach is worried – he is not sending a positive message to his team.

AW, you are right, Mexico and Portugal should qaulify in a center. Spain has a easy pass as does the boring Germany. Germany are lucky.

I think we will give Brazil and Croatia (and Japan) a good run in our group. Could well surprise and get through to 2nd round.

Yet another act that will be added alongside the Giuly decision, the Coupet decision, and the general failure of the French team ever since Domenech took control.

The French definitely have many reasons to fear the only too familiar Swiss team, which is getting stronger by the year, but the lack of professionalism portrayed by Domenech will only result in giving the opponents a stronger psychological edge. Lessons are to be learnt from the likes of Croatia and Paraguay when it comes to confidence and to gaining that psychological edge. Just by reading the comments coming from their camps, even the most skeptical critics would reconsider their position.

Domenech has done absolutely nothing for “Les Bleus”. He was so incompetent, that rather than finding fresh talent, he had to bring back three retired players (Zidane, Mekelele, Thuram). The several failures of France in their friendly matches, as well as their shaky qualification campaign seem to have isolated them altogether from the image they built up after ‘98 and ‘00.

The way things are going, I think the only achievement France will obtain in this campaign will be the sacking of Domenech (unless he has enough self respect to resign)