FIFA World Cup : Team France infighting reaches French president Nicholas Sarkozy
Could it be a case of sour grapes? Last year’s runners up France seem to be in shambles after their dismal performance on the field. Making matters worse is their behaviour off the field, which is making the team attract a lot of negative press. Currently, France is at the number three spot in their Group A, having drawn their first match against Uruguay and losing two nil to Mexico in their second match. Their only hope now is a huge win over South Africa.
Hopes of that seem bleak at the moment, with infighting amongst the national team. France’s striker Nicholas Anelka was thrown out the team following his verbal altercation with head coach Raymond Domenech after their loss. As a result public rifts amongst the players, management and coaches came to the fore shattering the image of the French team. The sheer magnitude of the incident has also caught the attention of French President Nicholas Sarkozy, who has taken serious notice of it.
The scenes of public squabbling and mayhem were witnessed in Knysna where the team was due to train. But their seemed to be no players partaking in the training due to their disagreements. Some two hundred fans had turned up to see their idols battle it out on the field not amongst each other. They were turned back with an air of disappointment, as the players remained seated in their bus with drawn curtains. Adding further embarrassment to the already disheartened coach, who earlier had to intervene to cool off a heated row between Captian Patrick Evra and fitness coach Robert Duverne, was the fact that he had the tough job of facing the angry fans and offer an explanation for the missing French players who refused to take the field.
The players had walked off the field to express their solidarity with their fellow player Nicholas Anelka, and their refusal to train was in protest against Anelka’s expulsion from the team. Their actions prompted team director John-Loius Valentin to announce his resignation from the French Football Federation. He expressed his anger over the behaviour of the French players and said he was extremely ashamed of their decision to abstain from training. John-Louis’s resignation was seen as yet another blow to France’s World Cup hopes, throwing them in shambles.
France’s dismal performance throughout this World Cup has called into question the coaching skills of Raymond Domenech, whose selection as coach on 2004 had raised eyebrows due to his lack of experience of managing a national side. This was not the first time that the French press have been critical of Domenech’s tactics and strategies, he was at the receiving end of bad press during world cup 2006 and euro 2008. This time he was at the receiving end of a hurl of profanities from his player Nicholas Anelka after a frustrating loss to Mexico.
France’s frustration has become evident in their poor behaviour. First it was Anelka’s tirade against Domenech and then Evra went up in arms against Duverne. Evra blamed Duverne for leaking the story of the infighting between Anelka and the coach to the French press a charge he vehemently denies. These incidents have led France to hang their heads in shame, as winger Frank Ribery said they are now being mocked by the entire world.
These alarming incidents will put a damper on the French spirit. They have sent alarm bells ringing in the French presidency as well, with Sports Minister Roselyne Bachelot informing President Sarkozy about controversy surrounding the French team. However, the French Football Federation has put this incident at an arm’s length, but made a point calling the behaviour of the French team unacceptable. The player’s have put the entire blame on the French Football Federation for meting out unfair treatment to Anelka.
Domemech now has the momentous task of figuring out a solution to lift the spirits of the team. It will be an uphill task for him to unite the team before their final do or die match against South Africa. The last time France exited after the group stage was back in 2002 when they were defending champions. Domenech, now, in face of adversity, will be praying that the 2002 history does not repeat itself.
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