FIFA 2010 World Cup: William Gallas blames Raymond Domenech
The French humiliation and jeopardy continues. Les Bleus defender William Gallas has blamed the former coach of the French team, Raymond Domenech, for France’s disastrous campaign for the FIFA 2010 World Cup.
It so happened that the French team proved to be extremely dismissive in South Africa. They first had a goalless draw against Uruguay, and then were defeated by Mexico 2-0. Afterwards, they were humiliated by the South African team in a match which hit by their own mistakes and locker room issues along with the Anelka saga. Nevertheless, the South Africans outclassed the French with a 2-1 victory. France was supposed to win this match by a large margin and enter the Last 16 stage but ended up at the bottom of the Group and knocked out of the tournament.
If the shame of being knocked out of the tournament by a mediocre team wasn’t enough, then the still ongoing issue about Nicholas Anelka and his attitude did little to help France’s already diminishing football stature. The story goes that Nicholas Anelka went off on Coach Domenech during halftime in the match against Mexico. It is reported that the player used profanity against him and in response the coach sent him back home, saying that there was no need for him in the squad.
His sending back to France by the coach caused uproar in the team. What followed was the team’s own version of “the French Mutiny”. The captain of France, Patrice Evra, became too angry at the coach and nearly assaulted the fitness coach. The team became divided into two groups and then eventually boycotted the training session. The Les Bleus skipper abstained from taking part in the last game. After returning home he said he was sorry for his behaviour and admitted that it was wrong not to participate in the training session.
On returning back home the situation had become a source of international embarrassment. The President of France, Nicholas Sarkozy, seeing the scenario steadily deteriorate into a pit of shame, decided it was time to intervene. He initiated an investigation board to find out the reasons behind the dismissive French performance.
President Sarkozy had already planned meetings with French players and in fact had met with some already but FIFA warned him to back off as government bodies are not allowed to intervene in “football issues”.
A lot of other senior players have already made their statement, but Gallas had stayed quiet. Now, while talking to media, the sturdy defender explained the “real problem”, stating “If it was a fiasco, then there are reasons for it. And for me there is no need to draw a veil over why; they emanated from the coach”.
Gallas clarified, “The real problem is the coach. Okay I wasn't good, we weren't good. But the coach wasn't up to scratch either. I was appalled that we didn't play with two strikers. Even the training sessions weren't up to the level required”. He then added further explain his reason for criticism, “You can have the best players in the world in your team, but if you don't have the coach you need, then the results will not be achieved”.
Gallas, at the moment is on the market, and is being sought by Paris Saint Germain and Panathinaikos. He has played 84 matches for France and 101 for Arsenal. In reference to the Domenech issue, he stated that the man had severe ego problems he had to deal with and thus wasn’t fit to be a coach.
Gallas stated, “Domenech was not open. A lot of players were unable to talk to him and it was certainly my case. Anelka's incident was a case of him [Anelka] being fed up for a few weeks prior to that. Domenech hammered into us time and again: 'Put your egos to one side'. But I believe that he forgot to do that himself”.
Gallas was caught in a triangle even before the tournament started as tensions between Coach Domenech, Captain Evra and Gallas existed mainly because he thought he deserved the yellow band of the skipper. Gallas commented, “The hardest part of it is the manner in which it happened. I realised when I entered the changing-room prior to the friendly with Costa Rica (May 26) that the captain's armband was placed beside Evra's shirt”.
He went on to say that the Coach did not trust him and stated, “He (Domenech) told me: In any case, you would not be a good captain”.
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