Special Report: The President of France Nicolas Sarkozy ignorant of warnings of FIFA, the saga continues, Laurent Blanc appointed new French Coach
The French President Nicholas Sarkozy can become the smartest man on planet when it comes to playing dumb. Even after FIFA’s warning of not to include himself in the country’s ongoing dilemma about football, the notorious President has made sure that he does not understand what FIFA is trying to say.
The catastrophic French campaign in the World Cup went out with an ugly swan song, one that is sure to haunt them till the next event of FIFA World Cup in Brazil that takes place in four years time, 2014.
The Les Bleus worries started as early as the World Cup qualifying stages and went on till the end, when they had to win a crucial match against The Republic of Ireland. The match saw the infamous “Le Hand of Frog” by Thierry Henry, when he helped in scoring a goal while controlling the ball with his hand. Though he later apologized for the event over and over again, the Irish stated that it was “too little and too late” as the match had qualifying importance for them.
Just around that time, the s*x scandal of Karim Benzema and Frank Ribery erupted. They both were accused of having s*x with underage call girl. This was also around the time when the 23 men French squad was being announced. The former French coach Raymond Domenech in that aspect selected a squad that excluded stars like Samir Nasri, Patrick Vierira and Karim Benzema.
Domenech’s poor decision and thinking was immediately seen after the start of the tournament. They played poorly and drew up with Uruguay at 0-0. Then they played against Mexico, who obliterated them to a 2-0 defeat. Afterwards in the last match they encountered South Africa. A match in which they were supposed to win by a large margin, however, it saw them being defeated and humiliated by one. The South Africans out classed them and in the first half and scored two goals. They had many attempts in the second half but they weren’t able to capitalize on them. In the end, France scored a late last goal but it still brought them to a deficit of one.
However, the defeats weren’t the ugliest part of their journey. During the match against Mexico, Nicholas Anelka, the French forward used profanity against the French coach at half time. Consequentially Domenech sent him back home and that resulted in the new version of the “French Mutiny”.
What followed was that the Captain of Les Bleus, Patrice Evra launched against Domenech and was just about to launch against the fitness coach but he was held back. The team then boycotted the training and went to the South African match next day in confusion. Patrice Evra didn’t play in the match too. Patrice Evra and most the team were of the opinion that it was wrong to send back Anelka, as he was a crucial part of the team.
When the team returned back home to disgruntled fans, who were ready to pounce on their team at the first chance they got, after all they were one of the finalist of the World of 2006. At that moment Sarkozy announced that an inquiry was about to start to find out the reasons for the poor performance by France. He called Thierry Henry for a private meeting and later called other key players like, Patrice Evra, Willian Gallas, Cise Diaby and Frank Ribery. The meeting though are happening on a private basis and there are public statements about the team coming out nearly every day, like Florent Malouda blaming the French structure and board of football, FFF.
However, FIFA intervened and reminded Sarkozy that there should not be any government involvement in football. Sarkozy after a period of silence has proved that he is ignorant of that fact and now is instigating the process again. He has just recently stated that he will “Sack those in charge” that have brought the French football and their glory to this level of worldwide humiliation.
While talking to the media Sarkozy stated, “The image shown by the French team in South Africa? Disastrous. I said, ‘Those in charge must go.”
He stated that he was penalising the players too and as of the first punishment he relayed, “They are gone, let's not heap abuse on them. The players shouldn't get bonuses. They didn't.”
Sarkozy perhaps doesn’t know of what happened when the President of Nigeria tried to intervene in football of the country by banning them for two years from international tournaments. In the end, he had to comply with the warnings from FIFA, as they were going to throw them out of the tournament if they didn’t.
The outgoing President of the French Football Federation (FFF), Jean-Pierre Escalettes, 75 years old, has initiated Laurent Blanc, as the new coach of France. Laurent Blanc had been confirmed as the top candidate for the job a long time ago and it is hoped that he will turn around the football in the nation.
The 44 year old Blanc had to quit his job at Bordeaux to attend to the services France requires from him. Blanc will be the perfect man for the job; as with tons of patriotism for France, he has played and coached at the biggest clubs in the world. He has also guided them to great victories and league titles.
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