Les Bleus broke our hearts…and (as fans) we deserve better

June 21st, 2010 | by: Sarah |

Bleus talking to Domenech

With the events over the past few days, its easy to feel like the Bleus have turned their back on the fans

*Post written to the tune of Everybody Hurts by REM…audio at bottom of post (below the jump)*

Please note: The timeline of events has been updated thanks to additions and clarifications made in the comments section of the post. Credit to Justin, Sandrahn and Jennifer!

I’ve been a fan of the Bleus since 1998, ever since the team’s glorious World Cup win in Paris – I became a passionate fan of the Bleus after their infamous first round exit in the 2002 World Cup. But, the feeling of losing so miserably after such joyous feelings and high expectations upset me, and formed my desire to follow the team until the day they would avenge the past and win the World Cup again. With each year I’ve become more enthralled with the Bleus- and though I joined the France-mania in 1998, I’m hardly a fair weather fan who jumped on the bandwagon. Since 2002,I can count the number of games I’ve missed on one hand. At times, it’s even mysterious to me how I have developed such a strong connection with Les Bleus. There have been a lot of times when I could have abandoned the team because the Bleus are not always an easy team to love. Growing up in Texas (the founder of freedom fries), it was hardly a passion that was encouraged and I’m pretty sure I was the only one on the France bandwagon. Even outside of those cultural issues, both the French Football Federation’s as well as the team’s performances and behavior the past decade have alienated even their most ardent supporters. In 2006, France fans were given a brief reprieve when they managed to string together 3 magnificent performances in a row (Spain, Brazil, Portugal) to make it to the finals of the 2006 World Cup in Germany. For reasons we all know, we did not win that Cup. And it is clear that without a miracle, we will not win it this year either. And it breaks my heart. Really.

There are differences in fans’ dedication levels. Bandwagon or fair-weather fans will get excited and follow teams only when they’re playing well or during big competitions such as the World Cup. But hardcore fans get very connected emotionally and dedicate themselves to the team every year, despite its record. These people experience powerful emotions from watching the team and support them through the ecstasy of winning and the agony of defeat. These are the types of fans which seemingly live and die with their favorite teams and athletes. In any match, scenes of one fan throwing back their head in desperation are juxtaposed against the opposition’s supporters jumping up and down in jubilation. While the Mexican fans broke our their sombreros and tequila (before you accuse me of breaking out an ethnic stereotype, some of them actually did that), France fans experienced a barrage of emotions: sadness that their team was most likely going home in the first round, anger that the players didn’t seem to care, confusion over why a team of talented players could create neither a credible offense or defense and frustration that had the FFF made changes in 2008, this could have been avoided.

That bond is a two-edged sword. A win by your favorite team can pick you up, but a loss is demoralizing (to say the least). Beyond losses, fans can feel a personal connection to players, which is why when even “off the field” scandals like Frank Ribery’s occur, fans can feel betrayed. There’s a lot in my relationship with the Bleus that I’m not proud of. I’ve cancelled lunches and dates at the movies because a game was on. My temper has snapped like a twig more than a few times and I’ve yelled at everyone in the room when the pundit misrepresented or distorted game or a player, or when one of my friends had the audacity to chat during a game. Of course if we won, it’s shots for everybody…

As a France fan, I’ve experienced many great and unforgettable moments. But as Bleus supporters know too well, there have been too many moments when they find a way to break your heart. When I saw Fabio Cannavaro and the rest of the Italian team raise the Cup in 2006 and heard the celebration from the Spanish fans in 2008, it was gut-wrenching. But neither of those can compare to what I have felt since the game against Mexico on Friday.

Since then, the shit has really hit the fan and I have felt more like I was watching a soap opera unfold rather than a team of world-class professionals participate in one of the biggest events in their career. While it was clear going into this tournament that all was not well, I never would have imagined that things would spiral out of of control this quickly. We all knew Domenech was not the right man to lead the Bleus for this tournament – that was abundantly clear in 2008. But, for reasons they have yet to explain, the FFF declared he was the appropriate man for South Africa. Since then, the atmosphere surrounding a team has resembled a country about to break into civil war. The FFF were pitted against both the public and the their famous alumni who repeatedly (every chance they got) denounced the FFF and Domenech. For most of the two years, Domenech has taken a majority of the hits and criticism. And while he is certainly not blameless by any means, surely we can all agree that there is enough blame to go around. But the lack of transparency and the team’s insistence of shrouding everything in secrecy has made it difficult to determine how to assign the blame. Instead, we are left to put the pieces together by a dramatic press corps who seem more interested in selling papers than writing the truth, a team of players whose oversized egos result in them constantly deflecting and blaming everyone else, Domenech who is clearly clueless and has no clue what is going on and how to fix it as well as the Federation who appear willing to do almost anything to salvage their reputation. And yet none of these people appear willing to take any responsibility for the position we are in now. And what position is that, you ask? Let’s just summarize the events of the last few days…

Friday, June 11

France settle for a draw in their opening match against Uruguay, picking up several yellow cards in the process.
Gallas boycotts the media, reportedly because he disagrees with Domenech’s decision to make Patrice Evra the team’s captain instead of him.
Malouda is reportedly dropped from the starting line-up against Uruguay for his honesty in a press conference, signaling there there is unrest among the team.

Tuesday, June 15-Wednesday, June 16

The press report that there are factions among the players who are squabbling over power and tactics. Ribery, Gallas and Anelka are identified as the primary instigators of the problems in the team.
According to the press, Yoann Gourcuff has been alienated by his teammates. It is reported that he often eats alone and doesn’t speak to many people on the team. In a press conference, Captain Patrice Evra states (paraphrasing) that Yoann never speaks to him and that if he wants to talk to Gourcuff he has to go through Toulalan. Bleus alum, Bixente Lizarazu, implies that Yoann may not fit into the group because of his privileged background, which makes him “too nice and too polite” to fit in. The day before France’s 2nd game against Mexico, the division is reported to have grown so much that Anelka and Ribery refuse to pass the ball to him. It is said that they are pressuring Domenech to replace both Gouvou and Gourcuff in the starting 11 (the replacements reported include Henry, Valbuena or Malouda).
Eric Abidal in a press conference admits that his and Gallas’ central defense partnership needs to improve- though he primarily appears to be talking about their on-field communication, the press speculate there maybe off-field issues impeding their ability to work together.

Thursday, June 17

France loses 2-0 their game against Mexico and Jeremy Toulalan picks up a 2nd yellow, suspending him from the final group game against South Africa
Gourcuff is dropped from the starting XI vs Mexico- reportedly because his teammates won’t pass the ball to him. He is replaced by Malouda.
Immediately following the game, some French press speculate that Domenech asked Henry and Cisse to play the second half and they refused.

Saturday, June 19

On Saturday, France Football report that Anelka and Domenech get into an argument at the half time of the Mexico-France game in which Anelka tells Domenech to “Fuck off, you son of a dirty whore.” The press report that is why Anelka was immediately substituted by Domenech for Gignac.
The FFF announce that Nicholas Anelka has been dropped from the team after he refused to apologize for his statements. The FFF state that this decision was supported by Domenech as well as the team who voted to exclude him.
Nicholas Anelka releases a statement denying the quote attributed to him in France Football, but acknowledges that he and Domenech did have a heated discussion. He insists that the conversation should have been kept in confidence, states his love for the team and extends his support to ALL his Bleus teammates.
Evra appears in a press conference with a representative from the FFF. It is said that Domenech has refused to speak to the press. Evra does not condemn Anelka and appears to be more upset about the events being made public. He states that there is a “traitor” in the team’s midst- though he remains ambiguous, the fans and press speculate he could be referring to Domenech, Gourcuff or a member of their training staff.
The press report that Zidane is instigating problems by pushing for a particular line-up that doesn’t include Gourcuff and Gouvou through Ribery and Anelka. The papers report that initially Domenech seems open to the change until he hears the source of the idea is Zidane.

Sunday, June 20

The France team travels to the training grounds but refuses to train. The players arrive without shoes, indicating they had no intention of ever training. When Patrice Evra explains this to a member of the training staff, he and the staff member have to be pulled apart by Domenech as they get into a fight in front of the press.
The team signs autographs for fans but refuse to speak to the press.
Once they completed signing autographs, they board the bus and have conversation with Domenech with the curtains drawn. After 20 minutes, Domenech reemerges to read a statement from the players of the team which says that they are boycotting training in response to the FFF’s dismissal of Anelka. They state that Anelka was dismissed based on speculative press reports, that they made no effort to clarify the actual events that happened or to support the team and they did not consult the players over the decision. Importantly, the statement of the players indicates that all members of the squad agreed to boycott the training “without exception.”
Later that day, the trainer who was videotaped getting into a fight with Evra was interviewed on TF1 about the event. He denies the insinuation made in the press that Evra accussed him of being the “traitor” in the squad. He says the argument was over his frustration with the players decision to not train because he had just finished setting up the cones for the session and creating drills for the players to complete.
Frank Ribery and Domenech appear on TF1 where Ribery acknowledges the team’s failures and expresses his regret for not living up to the expectations of fans but continues to emphasize that the team believes there is a “traitor” who wants the team to fail. Ribery also denies getting into a fight with Gourcuff and Domenech seems to mock the idea that Gourcuff could get into a fight with anyone because of his serene personality. Sports Illustrated report that Ribery “burst onto the set” of Domenech’s interview. SI also report that Ribery knew of the team’s plans to boycott the next day’s training when the interview was pre-taped, calling into question the sincerity of his apology to the fans.
Team Director Jean-Louis Valentin resigns in the wake of the training boycott, stating his displeasure with the team’s decision.
Anelka’s club teammate John Terry defends Anelka, stating he is an honorable person and a great teammate.
Anelka’s other club teammate, Didier Drogba, remains ambiguous when asked about the situation. He admits exchanging texts with Florent Malouda but says that the French squad do not typically discuss intra-squad issues with people outside the squad.
Bleus Alums – Zidane, Makelele, Aime Jacquet, Lizarazu - condemn the team’s decision not to train. They complain that the players should show more “respect for the shirt.”
Gourcuff’s former teammate Marouane Chamakh defends Gourcuff on French television, describing him as both a good teammate on and off the field.
French President Sarkozy also condemns the team’s decision not to train.
The FFF issue a statement stating there will be an investigation into the matter.

Monday, June 21

The Bleus resume training, though their training gear does not contain any of the names of the sponsors who are reportedly considering withdrawing their sponsorship.
In an interview, Blanc admits being offered the Inter-Milan job but states he turned it down because he thought he could help Les Bleus improve whereas the Inter team was already a success
Domenech calls players’ strike “an aberration, an imbecility, a stupidity without name”
Henri Monteil, General Secretary of the FFF, reports that the younger generation of players are reported to have apologized to Domenech and asked for forgiveness for their behavior.
RMC reports that Planus is one of the ringleaders behind the training boycott, alongside Ribery, Evra, Gallas and Abidal.
Blanc is alleged to have asked the FFF to put a clause in place that allows him to leave his post at his discretion.
Gallas, Evra, Henry and Abidal are rumored to be out of the team’s starting XI for the last group match. It is unclear if this was a decision made by the FFF or Domenech alone- though it is rumored to be a result of their role in the events leading up to the final group game against South Africa. Toulalan is also unavailable due to picking up two yellow cards in the previous matches.
Zidane denies trying to influence the formation of the team, emphasizing that even when he was a player he did not dictate the team makeup.

Tuesday, June 22

Le Parisien reports that a douzen players on the team did not support the boycott which the paper suggests that Abidal, Gallas and Malouda spearheaded. Though the paper indicates a dozen players were not comfortable with the idea, they only list Gourcuff, Lloris, Mandanda and Valbuena as opposing the idea. L’Equipe suggests the players against the strike included Lloris, Govou, Mandanda, Clichy, Squillaci, Sagna, Diarra, Gourcuff, Malouda, Valbuena and Toulalan.
Papers reports that Alou Diarra, who will be replacing the suspended Toulalan, is the most likely candidate to wear the armband in France’s final group match. Diarra is the current captain for Bordeaux in Ligue 1.
FFF confirm that if eliminated in the first round, the French team will not receive any bonuses for participating in the World Cup.

Did I miss anything? Because over the past few days, its become increasingly hard to keep up with the conflicting accounts and turns of events. Even if we had months to prepare, I’m not sure that would be enough time to mend the damage that has been done in the past few days. To have come this far to do THIS, it is heartbreaking. And while I’m not naive enough to think that the team can possibly overcome this and band together against the FFF and the press- I am hopeful that some good can come out of this debacle- including a full house cleaning starting with the FFF at the top. Because things have to change and it can’t just be Blanc. If anything, it has become clear over the past few days that Domenech is not our only problem. And I for one am ready for a larger, structural change- because as Les Bleus fans, we deserve it!

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paige

Wonderful post, Sarah. Your opening paragraphs ring so true—and thank you for collecting all the unsavory reports of the past few days, even though it hurts!

I like that you refer to the possibility of the team banding together against the press. This seems to be one of the biggest problems France face: constant speculation and judgment from the press, and an unfortunate tendency to let those judgments color their actions, such as avoiding press completely when some transparency would go a long way toward clearing their name. Ribery's apologies and attempts at clarification on TF1, whether sincere or crafty (and I'll hope for the former), were appreciated. Press reports surrounding the team during this Cup have been so wildly soap-operatic that the only words I'm taking at face value are the ones the team themselves.

Come to think of it, could the press be the “traitor” everyone keeps referring to?
sandra350

“ever since the team’s infamous World Cup win in Paris ” — I had to stop when I read that line. “infamous”??? why “infamous”???? What did Les Bleus do wrong in 1998, for heaven's sake?
http://france.worldcupblog.org/ OffsideSarah

Sandra – infamous as in “really famous” or “causing infamy.” I meant it as a good thing- because after that win they became so famous that even little me in Texas was inspired by them.
sandra350

I finally read the whole article (excellent, btw) but infamy or infamous is a good word to call the current team meltdown or zidane's headbutt or the bombing of Pearl Harbor (a la FDR's “day of infamy”), not a glorious victory like the 1998 world cup win.
http://france.worldcupblog.org/ OffsideSarah

Point made- I've changed it to better communicate what I intended to say.
sandra350

Thanks for writing this, Sarah. Amazing how you were able to cull together all the detailed incidents, pretty thorough. Zidane has denied that he advised the team, btw. But who knows what's the truth.

And yes, the problem has ALWAYS been much more than just Domenech. He's an easy scapegoat. I've always viewed him as a puppet, a company man, under the control of the old bureaucratic suits at the FFF who despise the influence of the Generation of 98 on French public opinion and are ridiculously jealous of their turf. Rayray came up from the academy system, he's their man. A small minority within the FFF have been battling the majority opinion for a long time to fire Domenech but until recently, they were losing the debate.

This entire meltdown and chaos is symptomatic of the deep, longstanding bureaucratic dysfunction of the FFF. I worry that appointing Blanc may not be enuf to remedy things, tho it is a start.

Also, on twitter a reporter quoted Blanc as saying he'd been offered the Inter job but turned it down because with the France job, he could only make it better whereas with the Milan job, he didn't think the team could get any better.

I certainly have no intention of stopping my France support. I too fell in love with the French national team in 1998 (tho I'd grown fond of it watching the wonderful 80s squad with Platini–one of the best wc games if the 86 France-Brazil game). That team went on to dominate European football for more than 8 years, achieving much more than England, Holland, Spain, or Portugal have ever done. In fact, apart from Brazil, Italy, Germany and Argentina, no country has achieved what France has in football.

Amazing for a country not known for its football fanaticism.

What has been esp. disheartening is watching players I've admired and respected fail to act with dignity and refuse to keep the team as their #1 priority — like Henry and Ribery. But if we're real supporters, we have to move on. And just support Blanc in his efforts.

France supporters are gluttons for punishment as so many countries seem to target France for their personal predispositions toward xenophobic hatred and moral hypocrisy. We also have to endure a lot of smug, ignorant racists attacking the team. But none of that keeps us from continuing our support. It's part of the deal.

As always, allez les bleus!
glatisant

Thanks for putting into words what many of us feel, but cannot express so eloquently. It's easy to be a casual fan of Brazil, Italy, Germany, but with France, you either have to be a diehard or you quickly learn the exit to the bandwagon. The slurs and jeers are easy to ignore, one can deal with the loneliness, it's when you feel repeatedly slapped in the face by the team you love that's the hardest to survive.

The detail about the players signing autographs before boycotting the training is so telling, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when I read it.

I'm praying Escalettes and the other fat cats at the FFF/DTN get axed alongside Domenech. The rot needs to be dealt with at the root before Blanc comes onboard.

Those of us who survive this can say in the future “these wounds I had on Crispian's day”–that's what I tell myself, anyway.
Gpapa718

Yeah, after that match with Mexico, Les Bleus ripped my heart out. They need a better coach, and they need to set their egos aside and play like a real team. It's so sad, because they have some of the most talented footballers, and terrible guidance and no chemistry. You could feel it when Mexico played, how badly they wanted it, how hard they worked for it. I'm glad Mexico won! I left the bar I was watching the game in, not disappointed, but DISGUSTED.

“According to the press, Yoann Gourcuff has been alienated by his teammates. It is reported that he often eats alone and doesn’t speak to many people on the team. In a press conference, Captain Patrice Evra states (paraphrasing) that Yoann never speaks to him and that if he wants to talk to Gourcuff he has to go through Toulalan. Bleus alum, Bixente Lizarazu, implies that Yoann may not fit into the group because of his privileged background, which makes him “too nice and too polite” to fit in. The day before France’s 2nd game against Mexico, the division is reported to have grown so much that Anelka and Ribery refuse to pass the ball to him. It is said that they are pressuring Domenech to replace both Gouvou and Gourcuff in the starting 11 (the replacements reported include Henry, Valbuena or Malouda).”

That is gut-wrenchingly sad and annoying. Who the F gives a shit where the young player comes from, how he grew up, or how nice he is? If he's good, he's good! Pass him the effing ball!

I'm so over Les Bleus this World Cup. I love them to death, been a fan since 98 (I was 9 years old then!), but seriously, South Africa, BEAT THEM. They don't deserve their honor. Send them home with their heads hanging. I think the country and people of South Africa need the win more, even if they are eliminated, than France will. Ideally I would love to see South Africa and Mexico advance, because I'm so fed up with France. The don't deserve the miracle chance of advancing. They need to learn from this.

Also, GO TEAM USA!
http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/WSG5MFNWCXAXDLW5U2T432LJGA Phil

hear, hear. @sandra350: i think she was talking about the Ireland match

Yea I want to see the whole squad fired, except for Gourcuff, Diaby, Toulalan, Gignac, and Lloris. I never want to see the rest of them in bleu ever again.
sandra350

Phil, the Ireland match was definitely infamous.
http://spain.worldcupblog.org/ Ade C.

Great post, Sarah. Even though I'm not a Bleus fan, I can sympathise, and what you said about 'true fans' applies to all of us. I'm sorry you're going through all this, but I believe you'll come out stronger on the other side… and you certainly can tell who the true fans are now!
http://malawi.worldcupblog.org sscouser

Sarah, your post is ill (Way of saying something is so great it is sickening).

Anelka tells Domenech to “Fuck off, you son of a dirty whore.”

How do you say that in French? Did he really say that or have words been lost in translation?
Ma928

Sandra brazil has 5 world cups….Argentina 2…Italy 3, are you sure that they didnt do anything on football? My god…..
Ma928

sorry, I just read that you said “apart”.
http://france.worldcupblog.org Jeff

The boycotting of a match practice has really stood out in the public imagination. (It will be one of those things I'll get flamed for mentioning in a future post!)

People who know nothing about football or the world cup are asking me about it (a la Zidane's head butt, a la Thierry's handball). It's all intertwined with Anelka's profanity and expulsion, but everyone is asking me, “Did you hear that France refused to practice?”

The real story of legend that I want to be reminiscing about in years to come is how we rose like a Phoenix and won the World Cup from this seemingly untenable position, and how people still bemoan, “If only Uruguay and Mexico had played to a draw!”
philip

I am also a very dedicated fan. After the 2006 final lost I took it really hard not only did my team lose but my favorite player got a red card. Also I started seeing Italian shirts every where that summer so that didn't help either. But I was so sad, mad , and heart broken it took a couple months to get back to somewhat normal. I did feel much better after France trashed Italy 3-1 in a qualification match. But after the quick Euro exit I had to find a way not to get so serious after a loss. After the lost to Mexico I wasn't that mad mainly because Domenech will only have one game left. But how I manage to not get too upset is when ever France are in a dark moment I just think about the great times of the 98 world cup and watch videos of the team back then. That always helps me i hope it helps you
http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/WSG5MFNWCXAXDLW5U2T432LJGA Phil

@sscouser

it's “Va te faire enculer fils de pute”

It's actually worse than the popular translation suggests, the correct translation is more:

“Go off and get someone to sodomize you, you son of a whore”
Socket

Sorry, but it has to be said that the majority of the so called “golden generation” has always been an incredible bunch of assholes on the personal level. And while many, especially in the Anglo-Saxon world, would say the same about the French in general, I do not, which is why I think France is so terribly/not at all represented by these arrogant and spoiled *******s.
TruBlues

Is there something in particular that they, that you know for a FACT, (i.e. not just tabloid speculation) that you want to condemn Henry and Ribery for?

Henry's ass was benched , what was he expected to do exactly?

And Ribery denied having fights with anyone, so other than not being able to overcome a shambolic football “system” in the opening two matches, where is he at fault?

They were forced to play in a setup that looks more like a group of strangers at a pickup game. The same “system” that made them crash out of the Euros wreaking of disorder. The same setup that made them look 4th rate at the qualifiers. The same coach that had them playing like a post-nuclear-beast waiting to be put out of its misery against Ireland. The same coach's vision that saw them have to cluster*#&$ their way out of an Ireland playoff. The same stubbornness of a plan that saw them stumble through crap friendly results leading up to the world cup without an fluidity or efficiency.

You all try working with such an utterly incompetent supervisor, with a bigger corrupt boss keeping them in place, and aquiescing to all of it like good boys and girls and never saying or doing anything outside the “rules” for 4 years.

I guess then that workers unions are always wrong to strike? It's always shameful and unprofessional?

Just because they had a different way of addressing the problem that you disagree with doesn't make them care less than you do. That reminds me of how, here in the States, Republicans always label Democrats unpatriotic because they don't want to go along with their schemes.

Don't presume to know what's inside their heads and what their motivation is, my guess is it's not as simple as ego or whatever. This whole thing makes them look bad, if they had purely selfish motivations they would have sat on their asses and become Domenech “Yes Men” as many seem to have preferred.
Mack

Not a French fan (but always had a respect for French soccer and have visited France many times to see family; one of my all-time favorite players is Dominique Rocheteau. In fact, the French sides of the 1980s were wonderful) but I have to say, I'm not enjoying any of this as a fan of the Azzurri rivalry notwithstanding. I prefer to see a strong rival like France than one in disarray. This is really something else. Moreover, it's gut wrenching stuff to hear about what Gourcuff is going through. Just awful. If true, what a sad bunch.
http://www.adidas.fr/om Justin C.

Sarah, pretty good coverage for the most part, but I'd just like to add that the trainer was also on TF1 after the Brazil-CIV match explaining his side of the story, since there was so much video of him and Evra going at it. The mutiny, the players arriving without shoes or even the intention of training. And Drogba didn't really “defend” Anelka last night. He was asked what he thought of the situation and didn't really commit to saying anything either way. When asked if he was in contact with his teammates, he joked that Florent Malouda “Flo” and him exchanged a “texto” (french, for SMS or text message).

I'm waiting for the story to come out about how Evra and the “clique” managed to get the whole team to go along with it…

The statement, roughly translated, read: “the players, without exception…”

If so, I'm thoroughly disappointed that some did not stand up against the mutiny. We don't know the whole story yet, so I'd hate to comment on our Marseille players, but in my opinion, this whole thing stinks. Zidane keeps writing about this team and what Laurent Blanc should do with them. He's making the assumption that these guys will still be around to be coached the next time around.

In my opinion, Laurent Blanc should exclude all members of this rotten arrogant bunch (i'm going to hesitate to call them a “team” because that would imply that they're actually deserving of wearing the France shirt, and they're not).

My question is, what was Evra's point? And why didn't he or any of the mutineers have the balls to read the statement, instead of having Domenech do it for them? If they wanted the public, the press, and the French fans on their side, they certainly killed their “cause” by revealing themselves as the idiots.

The show must go on. Anelka's out, so the solution is mutiny and a mole hunt? Evra should have re-directed frustration onto training that wasting time not training and getting into high-school drama. The trainer who was furious? I can understand completely. They guy explained how he laid out the cones for practice and drills to prepare for the South Africa match. Yes, France's chances are slim to none, but they should have kept preparing for the next match as a matter of pride and respect to their country. They represent France and if they wanted act like children to stick a middle finger to Domenech or the FFF or another team-mate, they should have either refused a their call-ups and stayed home, or quit before the match, or finished the tournament and then done something about it…

If you're going to the World Cup, you might as well play your best. Life ain't perfect, kids. It's not always fair, but you still have to carry on and not act like spoiled brats. The players just gave up, in the second half of the Mexico match.

If they have any dignity, they should pack up and leave or not show their faces when La Marseillaise plays. They have dishonored the colors, their country, and betrayed all their loyal fans. Fuck 'em all.

If I was Laurent Blanc, I'd refuse to call-up the so-called “team” that refused to train, but then again I'm pissed off and he'll be more objective… or not. Maybe he'll be able to salvage a few of those rotten brats, but I don't think I could trust them again after what they pulled.

[post not checked for grammar or spelling. i'm just too disgusted to even re-read this]
Poznashu1980

They only broke your heart now?
What about four years ago?
What about how many broken hearts were after the match agains Ireland???
They are too arrogant! They think they are the belly-button of the world!
If they can not do anything on the pitch they want to do it in the media!
Shame on them!
Poznashu1980

My dear phillip…keep dreaming my friend!
U should not think about the great times of the 98 world cup! They were not that great. That competititon was in FRANCE!!!! of course they did good…and now they are at the world cup because Platini is the president of the UEFA! If they would have lost ar draw the 2 first games in '98 it would have happened the same! They have no fair-play! They can not admit they are not the best! Remember Zidane's last game before he quit??? What did he do? Why? Was that necesary? He did it because he's incredibly stupid and arrogant! Yes he WAS a very good player…he WAS… but a real professional will take his hat off and salute a better opponent!
But what the hell…they can not do that…they are FRENCH!
http://france.worldcupblog.org Jeff

TruBlues – I've had some of the same questions. I'm almost scared to be contradictory, but I don't know the validity of the “Ribery-doesn't-play-well-with-others” urban legend. I can understand players not passing to Gourcuff because he sometimes tends to boot the ball (especially this new one) into row z.
ThierryH

I totally support the revolt of french team. I don't care anymore about the glory of a victory or a defeat. THIS SHOULD have happen this day or another. Footballers, even rich ones, are human beeings. They should have the right to defend themselves, they should have the right to have an opinion and the right to say it, they should have the right to give their version of an event which probably coast them their career. The whole world follow like one man, or should i say like a pack of wolwes, the rumors whithout trying to understand what really could be the truth. It seems like in this story, the truth do not matter. It will be ever a mystery to me, the power of the “pack effect” or the way peolple follow the same “idea” that media want them to follow whithout any distance. How a single rumor build by a notorious infamous paper, “l'Equipe”, a manager manipulator who is too coward to assume his blow and his stupidity, some notorious incompetent “responsable of the FFF, could give to public opinion a perfect fall guy. If FFF and Domenech are innocents, why they gave a strict interdiction to Anelka, Evra, and other french players a way to say their truth ? In this story, we should condamn people on a single version, a version that we know as lie and political. Anelka was fired because he said to Domenech that they will crash on a wall if they continue like that. Domenech do not support it, and they have words. Anelka do not do it for himself he just said, what all the players and the spectators saw since 4 years. He said what all the french journalists said, like all the french fans said. If the players were upset against his eviction because they think exactly the thing he said. Domenech and th irrisponsable of the FFF find the scapegoat who will make their mess forgotten. If you want, i could explain you how tactically Domenech kill his players. The fact is Anelka was right, Gignac do not do better than him. Domenenech did not even do a third sub, he do not care. The only thing which count to him, who never assume his faults, is to make people think that he is the poor guy with hideous and terrible players. This guy is just a B…. .
chartreu

Another Irish whiner. go get drunk!
http://france.worldcupblog.org Jeff

It was perfectly readable.
http://france.worldcupblog.org/ OffsideSarah

I'm pretty sure I saw a “sale” in the quote somewhere- I didn't just add the “dirty” part for my own amusement…but that's probably less important at this point.
Benperri663

Typical xenophobic opinions made by anti french tabloid reader. Keep your clearly ridiculous conspiration theory ( platini blabla uefa blabla)for dumbass like you.You 'll find lot of place all over the web where you can easily spit your hate and hypocrisy , but please stop trolling here.
http://www.adidas.fr/om Justin C.

Claude Makalélé said:
“It's a shame all that has happened; there should be more respect for the jersey. The next coach [Laurent Blanc] will have a [difficult] job!”

….

Claude and others all keep talking like Laurent Blanc is going to have to salvage or discipline the current “team”.

Blanc should NOT pick ANY player that refused to train.

I'm not going to quit being a supporter of the French team, but I'm looking forward to some new faces on the squad, because the current crop of footballers make me sick. I just hope that Le President and the next generation of Bleus can restore some honor to the colors and to France, possibly by Euro 2012. I'll still wear my France jerseys and OM colors.

It's just disappointing that this squad, even the questionable ones Domenech picked, could have put aside their egos and differences and tried to seek more unity and less division.

We're all hoping for a miracle tomorrow, but I just don't know how the team can play competitively tomorrow, after wasting all their energy focusing on self-destructive behavior. Evra is AWOL and Domenech might not have much of a team to field on Tuesday night. Meanwhile, South Africa has been training hard to for the last match and for their slim hopes of progression.

Valbuena and Mandanda need to spread some OM positivity in the camp by perhaps adapting an old team song to Les Bleus:

Allez l'OM, allez marseillais, (change to -> Allez Les Bleus, Allez Les Francaises?)
hissez haut, les drapeaux.,
Tous unis sous les mêmes couleurs,
le virage chante avec ferveur.

ALLEZ LES BLEUS !!
nico kob

so are you! moralizing without morality.
Poznashu1980

By the way, I'm not irish…and I do this anywhere I want! Why don't u go cry somwhere else?
And if u want to keep this clean maybe u should watch your language!
http://twitter.com/BordeauxOffside Jennifer

And with monday comes more crap..
-young players crying and apologizing for their behaviour to Doms
-and now RMC is reporting that Planus is one of the leaders of the whole revolt fiasco alongside Ribery, Evra, Gallas and Abidal (and reading the girondins forum it seems to be more fact than fiction).

I know people don't want to hear this right now but I'm hoping that people are not putting all their hopes and dreams on Laurent Blanc as the saviour for the France national team. Perhaps it's because this is coming from a Bordeaux fan, but many people are calling Blanc's loyalty to question, not only for having abandoned Bordeaux at such a terrible time, but also wanting to include the clause in his contract that states that he can leave his post as the manager anytime he wants, if an adequate offer from a big european club comes for him…The FFF settled with Bordeaux for Blanc's fee mid May, and Inter asked Blanc to takeover late May. I think that if he didn't promise himself over to the FFF before Inter came along, he'd have easily taken over that post. Which is why I think he wants that clause, no matter what he says about wanting to rebuild and not coach a successful team. Not that I don't think he'll do his job — in fact, I think he'll do a terrific job. But the perils here is that at this point you want somebody who can be at the post for the long term, not someone ready to jump ship at the slightest opportunity.

But I bet I'm still bitter about the whole thing. And not that any of us can do anything about it, but just fair warning in case of future heartbreak.
http://www.adidas.fr/om Justin C.

thanks Jeff..
nico kob

Of course keep your nationality secret, it's better to insult others , and very brave. I don't watch my language as I am dealing with troll just coming here by provocation and saying bullshit like you.
Roger

Roger, That's we call Karma, les bleue came to world cup 2010, because of the hand ball of T. Henry. I knew it they will not able to fulfill their duty, as they are carring this Karma all along with them and the subcounscious is running behind them. Over all the attitude and the play is translating that. So get over it and dream the next cup. What a shame to disrepute a famous country by a bunch of unprofessional player “soit disant”
http://france.worldcupblog.org/ OffsideSarah

I agree about the Blanc situation- I've called his loyalty into question previously (when the Bordeaux demise was in progress). But, he is what we've got and you can hardly blame him. I hope he is using the clause for leverage to get more control from the FFF, who I fear have become too involved with the team.
Foreverzidane

You summed up pretty much the price you have to pay to be a French fan specially in this poisonous xenophobic North American archaic culture that refuses to let go of the stereo types. To endure the constant bashing of the media and the fans of other nations is one thing but to be treated like this by the team you support through good and the bad is gut wrenching and needs time to heal. So Ironic that Luis Fabiano had a goal that was clearly from TWO HAND BALLS, however the Ivory Coast players and their fans did not play the victim like the PATHETIC CRYING IRISH. They played Argentina, Holland and Serbia in the last world cup and had to face Brazil and Portugal in this world cup without a healthy star
and a hand ball and yet they shook hands with the Brazilians as if nothing happened. Now compare that to what the Irish did after their match with France. This match was just as crucial for Ivory Coast as the one for the Irish as Ivory Coast is basically out of this tourney. Also The very same people who are bashing these players will have to cheer for them come September when the leagues resume play. Now that is quite HYPOCRITICAL isn't it?
Wilmurp

I am Irish so I understand what it is like when a team representing your country on the biggest possible stage begins to tear itself apart…when Roy Keane was sent home from Saipan in 2002 I was gutted and genuinely depressed. I still feel bad when I think of that whole incident. That said, I can have no sympathy for the French team given their performance in the world cup playoffs, how could they expect good karma by cheating to get into the world cup in the first place and to make matters worse they laughed when we suggested a replay!!!! The saying is true be careful what you wish for – the french got their wish and made it to the world cup but they have brought nothing but disgrace to their fans and their country…I wonder if Thierry could turn the clock back would he still handle the ball….
http://france.worldcupblog.org Jeff

It's incredible how little coverage the Fabiano handballs received.
Kxevin

I was lucky enough, in 2005, to be at the friendly v Cote d'Ivoire in which Zidane returned to the side. It was at the Stade de la Mosson, and I had GREAT seats up top, at midfield. The energy, the joy, the anticipation was palpable in that match as France set up for what was to be a memorable World Cup, that I still think was one Vieira hamstring strain away from being truly magical.

Capitalizing on that energy, our beloved Bleus went on to the final. But compare that to this time, where recriminations and lackadaisical play contributed to a toxic, “every man for himself” atmosphere. I watched match after match on TV5, hoping for something different, and was always disappointed, none of which stopped me from watching these matches with the same sense of hope.

On paper, we have talent, and gobs of it. It is said that in '06, Dumbenech didn't really coach Les Bleus. That Zizou and Vieira did. But this squad lacks that elder statesman figure, that rallying point that makes the club come together. So instead the group conspire to make France football a laughing stock, and make Dumbenech actually seem a sympathetic figure.

What will Blanc be able to do? My guess is that he will start with a wholesale house cleaning. Gallas is gone, Henry will be gone along with Cisse and a host of others. I would rather lose with players who have pride and effort and are willing to bleed for the shirt, than pouty millionaires who don't really care except for the career-enhancing effects that playing in the World Cup will have on their bottom lines.

This is just a shameful, shameful situation that could have been avoided by fixing the coaching problem before Confederations Cup. There would have been time. Instead, we have a disaster that will take a long time to recover from.
http://france.worldcupblog.org/ OffsideSarah

The players are obligated to pass to Gourcuff- otherwise its like playing with 10 men. Gourcuff's form has undoubtedly dipped in the past year, but its hard to know which came first- the chicken or the egg. Can you blame Gourcuff from having anxiety if he is having to endure this toxic environment?

And the Ribery “urban legend” as you call it has been well documented since his times as OM. He is a selfish mercenary who places his own interests above the team. No doubt embellishments have happened along the way- and I dont think all the quotes attributed to him are true (at least I hope they aren't). But, there is definitely a lot of truth to him being an arrogant hothead. But, I think his biggest problem is that he lacks any self-awareness….I prefer to think he is oblivious than just an intentional ass.
http://france.worldcupblog.org/ OffsideSarah

I actually find the “workers rights” angle to be fascinating and I have yet to determine how I feel. Partially because I think circumstances such as this where the players are living the dreams of millions while sleeping in 5 star accommodations trivializes the conditions workers around the world are fighting every day. That said, I will admit I'm American and thus my view on this issue is culturally biased. I just fear that this example will be used to coop workers rights movements- as this is clearly is not representative of the conditions most people are fighting against.

But also because I feel like there are too many uncertainties involved. If tried to make it clear, but if not- let me clarify now: Unless it was directly from a player's mouth I tried to frame the events as “reported as” or “alleged” to indicate that these events were not verified to be true.
Foreverzidane

Not a single word on Canadian T.V. other than the nightly sports coverage of last night. But had to watch another clip of the head butt of Zidane and Anelka arriving in London and news that some players will not take the field tomorrow. What a joke the English speaking media is? All this because many deem the behavior of Parisians as rude, by not giving into speaking English in their own native land! Good P.R. is viewed as speaking English and wait at the table during the whole time they're spending at the Cafe!!!!!!!! LOL
http://france.worldcupblog.org/ OffsideSarah

Thanks – I'm glad you enjoyed it. I was definitely trying to (generally) speak for all Bleus fans, but it definitely came from my heart. I'm hopeful that there is a possibility of banding together, but then again we've had reports today that some of the younger generation have broken away and apologized for their behavior to Domenech. I reserve my judgements on Ribery's sincerity. I have no doubt playing for the team was his dream or that he thinks that is doing the right thing. I just doubt that he has the self-awareness to judge the appropriateness of his decision making. I don't think Evra was referring to the press as the “traitor” because they haven't been on the team's side in years (or maybe ever). If so, then his inappropriate choice of words have only added more fire- as now there is a witch hunt in the press (ironically they are the only ones who know for sure who is leaking information…). But, its clear that they media is creating its own hype. Afterall, you have L'Equipe referencing France Football- when, let's be honest they are practically the same publication!
http://france.worldcupblog.org Jeff

I actually take the fascination with France as a compliment. It's a bit extreme at times, but people are extremely obsessed with the French.
Wai

I say blow the whole team and start building again from scratch !

Our next generation should be Benzema, Nasri, Gourcuff, Ben Arfa, Menez, A.Cissokho, M.Sissoko, Gameiro, Tremolinas, Sakho, Obertan, Lloris etc etc.

These are our next core, anyone agreed ? BLOW the WHOLE team now !
http://france.worldcupblog.org Jeff

I'm curious, now, to hear what Gourcuff eventually says on the matter, whether he confirms that he was ostracized in a toxic environment, or whether he actually got along with everyone fine. It feels like heresy, and I fear the backlash, but I won't be surprised if he sincerely insists that he got along with his teammates perfectly well.
http://france.worldcupblog.org/ OffsideSarah

#SportsIllustrated are reporting #Ribery knew about the plan to boycott training when the #TF1 interview was taped….

[excerpt from the article, link below]

He burst onto the set of TV program Telefoot during a live Domenech interview on Sunday morning to defend himself.
At one point he had tears in his eyes as he revealed how upset he was with the situation. “This has been my childhood dream but we didn't work as hard as we should have done, and I'm suffering for that,” he said. “But we are going to do everything we can to win the next game.”
When it emerged that Ribery knew at that point of the plans to refuse to train later that day, calling into the question the veracity of his last comment, his performance was seen less as heart-felt and more as plain old political scheming.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/soccer/wo...
Sunil

Great post Sarah, loved it!

Been a fan since '98 as well

I grew up in Trinidad and Tobago and because we never qualify (except for 2006) people usually cheer for teams like Brasil and Argentina.

Well, I followed France throughout that tournament and I just fell in love with les Bleus, seeing them beat the almighty Brasil cemented it for me.

I agree it really isn't an easy job being a France fan, the world basically hates them now because of the handball thing, and the Zidane headbutt is all most idiots here in Canada remember about the '06 final.

This last bit of scandal will either make them lose to SA (please God I hope not) or bring them together in some kind of Disney magic that makes them go all the way to the finals (I know it's a stretch but I believe in them)

I don't blame them for striking, that's what they felt was the best thing to do at the time and hey things need to be shaken up at the top.

I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight knowing that their fate will be decided tomorrow, honestly I'd hate to see them lose to SA more than any side, even if they tied or won by only 1 goal and didn't make it to the 2nd round I'd be happy.

Just don't lose to the vuvu-nation! Please hear me les Bleus!
http://france.worldcupblog.org/ OffsideSarah

#SportsIllustrated are reporting #Ribery knew about the plan to boycott training when the #TF1 interview was taped….

[excerpt from the article, link below]

He burst onto the set of TV program Telefoot during a live Domenech interview on Sunday morning to defend himself.
At one point he had tears in his eyes as he revealed how upset he was with the situation. “This has been my childhood dream but we didn't work as hard as we should have done, and I'm suffering for that,” he said. “But we are going to do everything we can to win the next game.”
When it emerged that Ribery knew at that point of the plans to refuse to train later that day, calling into the question the veracity of his last comment, his performance was seen less as heart-felt and more as plain old political scheming.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/soccer/wo...
Sunil

Right so they cast some spell on Ronaldo that made him have his “fit” and miss the final game in '98 and that allowed them to win. Of course they did they're French

/sarcasm

you are an idiot.
Sunil

The problems les Bleus have are way older than the Henry handball…easy to just blame everything on one piece of bad luck…even easier if you're Irish
http://www.adidas.fr/om Justin C.

it's because certain countries like Brasil and Italy attract bandwagon support so easily.
blah_is_me

I'm not even a supporter of Les Bleus (though my favorite player is and will always remain Zinedine Zidane) and watching this implosion saddens me. You never want to see one of the great teams fall apart off the pitch like this. It's really unbelievable, the level of insanity that's going on between this team and its coach…I even feel some sympathy for Domenech.
Editorial

It is incredible to see how there can be such pretention inside a football team. This is a team that has showed NOTHING on this WC, nothing. Instead of running away from the things they should better face them. They are letting a whole country down, I wouldn't dare to do so.. ever.

No, I am proud that I'm not living in France or don't have that nationality because I would be tremendously pissed off to be honest.
Lesbleus

a bleus fan since 98, i am astounded at the small mindedness. domenech is not the gaffer for the future, but the players need to respect the nation, and the jersey. i hope domenech benches all the instigators, and lets them shoulder the blame for this debacle. ribery, gallas, diaby, evra, and even henry, if he is involved, deserve no part in the south africa match. i have watched the matches thus far, and evra is a joke as capt. gallas has been a joke for a while, ribery has no discipline, and diaby, well, earn your way with your club before you trash your nation. from my vantage, gorcuff provided pace and thought in the attack. sagna has been solid. domenech should have kept benzema and nasri, and maybe we don't have this discussion. as for zidane, he will go down as one of the greats, along pele in my book, but, he also cost his nation the cup in 06 with an undisciplined response to the italian.
ultimately,
les bleus should quit being crybabies, and represent their nation. if not, i hope that none of the current squad who had a hand in this is ever brought back.
Pablo Larios

Zidane was a great player on the pitch (yes, he did have his emotional outbursts) but he is a worthless piece of harki excrement off the field. His presence is a distraction not an inspiration.
Poznashu1980

if u say so…
the french team is were it is today because of people like u! After the '98 nobody had the balls to criticise them, and every failure and insucces was commented as a bad luck. There was always somebody else's fault! That's what brought the players to this attitude!
So I'm an idiot? U r an idiot! U are living in the past, u r kissing their asses! Wake up! Stop defending them! Maybe they will wake up too, and they will start acting like real pro!
Allez les bleus!
ThierryH

I do not understand why french fans are not proud of them. Personally, i would be ashamed if they reacted like most of the players (or humans) in the world, cowardly, thinking their own interest, their own image, their own future. They risked all of that to defend a partner. What is pathetic to me is not their behavior, but the way medias, politics, and people do their best to destroy them. I just hope Domenech will not do the team. So they can play, qualify France, it would be very very funny to see them beat Argentina. I perfectly remember the way French team was bashed by all the whole world in 2006, just before they won against Spain, Brazil, and Portugual.

Boycott a train ? They are all pros so they easily can train by themselves, a public train is often a one for the press. Moreover, seeing the fit of “les bleus” the last years, how they always looked exhausted on a pitch, i think that it could be a good thing.
Go go allez les bleus !!!
http://france.worldcupblog.org Jeff

TH- For a lot of French people, most of them perhaps, they just look at a few simple facts: the team is there to represent France, the results have been woeful, one of the players insulted the manager, the team refused to train – it's a simple decision for them to conclude that the team is a disgrace. They're not proud in any way.
Yxklaus

Les Bleus only won one world cup and before that they already thought that they where better than anyone else. Its a problem of attitude, the french national team must learn to be humble!!! They never where and they will never be, that is why they fail…
ThierryH

Jeff, all of this remind me of the paths of glory, the Stanley Kubrick movie. The proud lies in the fact they defend a companion against what they felt like an unjustified decision beyond to them, and against their own interest. How many players were ready and happy to take Anelka's place in this case without any brotherhood ? You didn't know what really happen, like i do not, like all people who are very fast to condamn them do not. The only who know it, are Domenech and his players. And Domenech clearly said that it was a common cloakroom incident that he had resolved.

If people cheers a team only to see themselves shining, they should better buy a mirror and repeat to themselves “in what a great and powerful nation i am, and how great and powerful, i am”.
sandra350

The simple fact is that these older players have failed to behave has leaders. Zidane, Thuram, Makelele, Vieira all had to work with the same idiot manager and yet they were strong and decisive enuf to take control and stop the rot that was evident in the 2006 group stage – they forced that team into cohesion and purpose. None of these older players (Ribery is a veteran of that 06 team) have shown any desire or willingness or determination to do that. None of them.
amirah

I feel like a whole load has been lifted off my shoulder after reading this post! I myself am not an avid football fan except when it comes to World Cup which is when I begin breaking out my France jerseys. And what you wrote is extremely true. I've been trying to rationalise my feelings about the team but really, they did break my heart. I won't stop supporting them just because of the shitstorm surrounding time, but I really did expect a lot more from them. They had the potential and it hurts to know they didn't care enough to act like a proper team.
Arturikomboy

I've been rooting for France since 1986, and saw them tumbled in qualifying round of WC1990 and WC1994 and Euro 1988.
I've witnessed the work of Michel, Platini, Houllier, Jacquet, Lemerre, Santini and Domenech.

Thus I can say this is the worst France's manager ever since 70s… I thought Houllier was the worst, but boy, he was tons better. Domenech managed to skip the talents of Pires and Giuly for a dumb reason, and made the talented bunch of other players look like jackasses.

Anelka, despite being problematic in his early years, has grown to a fine form, whether in Bolton or Chelsea. Thank goodness Blanc is fixed now as the successor!
Jagan316

I believe to gain some respectability as the french squad of 80's and 98 , french team need to
limit the number of immigrants (3-4). Remember its was the Blanc, black and beurs who won the
world cup for france. Now we see only blacks and Beurs who dont seem to carry the same pride and passion to play for
France .
I wonder if all the african players in the france team would have stood for a white player the same way as
they did for nicholas anelka.
Bense235

Adieu, Froschfresser
R_stam

I am from Holland i find it very sad the players get the blame from the coach and french soccer assosiation. they have to look why the past year was so terrible.
i know it aint the players. cause you french have great players. but the wrong coach.

SO i still are and will be a fan for the french soccer players . after the dutch ofcourse heheh, but the players deserve better treathment then the comment of minister of sports what a sad looking woman is that.

regards R STam
Poznashu1980

What do u say about today refusal of Domenech to shake hand with south africa's coach?
Who's the idiot now, cocksucker? I was right about everything and the french wankers are keep proving that! They suck my firend! They suck not only as a soccer team, but they suck as human beings! And so do u! Fuck les bleus!
Poznashu1980

They've done it again nico-boy! So I am moralizing because I have all the reasons. Domenech showed everybody today that his french! He was right thou…they were too good for this competition. But don't worry, they are not the only ones…Brasil follows them. Maybe is not their fault, after winning the cup u get this syndrome…I just hope there is no cure for it! HEHEHEHE
Poznashu1980

the ugly truth! well done socket!
Poznashu1980

U can't compare them, because Fabioano is not french! He is not arrogant, spoiled, ignorant jerk! So nobody hates him! R.I.P Les Bleus!
Poznashu1980

U should write this with bigger fonts!
Poznashu1980

I agreeeeee! Blow it up and never build it again! lol!
Poznashu1980

Yes he would! he's a wanker! he's good with the hand!
Sera

Full discloseur- I am an American and a player (minor league). It is not the duty of a coach to like his players, nor a duty for the players to like the coach. It is the duty of both players and coaches to conduct themselves properly in public. This even more so during international play. When you wear the colours of your country, expectations are greater. You play for your country and not yourself. If my national team had acted so childishly, my friends and I would wait for them at the airport and pelt them with rotten fruit. I don't care if they disgrace themselves, but do not disgrace your fans and country.
jewels

Dont forget it all started with the hand ball… Karma my dear, karma.

It obviously got to the team psychologically that they had not truley earned their place in the World Cup and could therefore not play as such.
Nicolas

Thanks for this report and congratulations, you know more about this than a lot of French people !
Now everybody's home, players, staff and FFF and something is going on at FFF's headquarters. This affair has becoma political as Pdt Sarkozy had a meeting with Henry yesterday, and the minister of Sports hinted that Escalettes should resign.
It is good news, but Escalettes doesn't seem to realize that his lack of authority as FFF's president is what caused everything, and he hasn't resign yet. I guess he finally will under pressure.
In 2008, he decided to keep Domenech under Platini and Gerard Houllier's advice. The fact that Euro 2008 was such a failure didn't seem to matter. Responsibility doesn't seem to be part of his vocabulary, since he said after the South Africa game that he didn't want to resign. It is time to change the structures of the federation aNd the management of the French team.
Jtshilombo

Poznashu what is your beef with french people, im french and i find those comments very offensive