Blanc to Drop Entire World Cup Squad
New French coach Laurent Blanc is not wasting time putting his stamp on the national team. Blanc plans on dropping all 23 World Cup players for his first match in charge on August 11th. The suspensions will serve as a punishment for the team’s disastrous World Cup performance, which saw France draw headlines across the globe for in-fighting and poor play.
Similar to the Euro 2008 Championship, the French failed to win a game in South Africa, crashing out at the group stage. However, the World Cup was a particular embarrassing moment for French football, as an aura of chaos reigned throughout their time in Africa. Trouble began when the French newspaper L'Equipe published a locker room rant by forward Nicolas Anelka toward then-coach Raymond Domenech. Anelka’s expletive-laced, insult-laden tirade occurred at halftime of a morale-sapping 2-0 loss against Mexico, which forced the French Federation to send the Chelsea striker home early.
The following day, the rest of the French team protested and refused to train, with team captain Patrice Evra caught on film arguing with a coach. All of this did not go down well in France, with former players – Lillian Thuram suggested that Evra should never play for the national team again after leading the protest – officials, celebrities and even President Nicolas Sarkozy criticizing and questioning the team and coach.
The French Federation has approved Blanc’s extreme disciplinary measure, and has set up a three-man commission to conduct an investigation into the World Cup incidents. The commission intends to deliver a report on August 5th, the same day Blanc is expected to announce his squad for the August 11th friendly against Norway. Blanc has stated he will not talk to the press until then.
Meanwhile, the fallout from the World Cup debacle is not the only problem facing Fernand Duchaussoy, the newly appointed president of the French Federation. A s*x scandal involving Karim Benzema and Franck Ribery is making headlines across Europe, and the future of both players is in jeopardy. The strikers, who play for Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, respectively, have been issued preliminary charges for allegedly sleeping with an underage prostitute. If convicted, the pair could spend up to three years in prison.
Duchaussoy recently told the French press that it would be difficult for Ribery and Benzema to play for France given their legal trouble, however he has since retreated, claiming that sometimes it was necessary to go “against one's personal convictions” and that ultimately, the decision would be up to Laurent Blanc.
Duchaussoy will also be meeting with Raymond Domenech, who, to the ire of many, continues to work within the French Federation. The meeting will focus on the team’s poor results and Domenech's behaviour as national coach, including his refusal to shake South Africa coach Carlos Alberto Parreira's hand after France lost to the Befana Befana, 2-1. “I think there are certain things which go against ethics, for example, the refusal to shake the hand of another coach,” Duchaussoy told L’Equipe, adding that while he would not bow to public demand and fire Domenech, he would not get in the way if Domenech chooses to quit. “If he does submit his resignation, I don't think I will oppose it,” he said.
When appointed, the 67-year-old Duchaussoy told the French sports press that he had “just been elected by all French football families”; an idealistic statement meant to reassure the nation’s disappointed and discouraged football fans. Approving the decision to drop all 23 World Cup players is thus just the first step in restoring the country’s football reputation. Whether or not it achieves anything, however, remains to be seen. Either way, come August, the French national team will have a whole different look.
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