Unpopular Domemech aims to get French flying
By Richard Newman
Think back to the World Cup in 2006, and Italy, unfavoured, lift the trophy. Once again there is little talk of the Italian chances, and the same goes for France.
Coach Raymond Domenech, short of charisma, of amiability, and (according to many) of any tactical nous, takes his France side into the World Cup tonight when they play Uruguay in Group A. Domenech is short of fans, and is the principle reason why the French are not particularly optimistic about their chances. Laurent Blanc has already been confirmed as his replacement after the World Cup. Blanc is a footballing legend in France, and is a popular choice after success with Bordeaux.
The very public display of absolutely no confidence from the French Football Federation undermines Domenech more than anything else could, but he won’t care. In fact, it will spur him on. Domenech has never had a good relationship with the press, which is one of the reasons he was turned on so quickly. Just think the absolute opposite of Steve McClaren, and that is the French manager. Domenech is still a proud Frenchman, and will be determined to administer revenge on his doubters, by going far in South Africa.
If you look at the players, how can we be writing France off? This is a team that has one of the best goalkeepers in the world in Hugo Lloris. They have a left-back who is only rivalled on the world stage by Ashley Cole. William Gallas will be lead the back line. The attacking talent on display is incredible, Franck Ribery will pull the strings with Yoann Gourcuff, supplying Nicholas Anelka and Andre-Pierre Gignac. Thierry Henry can’t even get in the first team and will be the impact sub from the bench. Do England have any strikers of that quality to come off the bench to score goals?
France, with all their talent, will need to work hard to pull together to distinguish all the doubt surrounding their chances. The problem is that Group A is so hard to call. Any one of those teams could go through, France on paper have the highest profile squad, Uruguay are well organised and tough to break down, Mexico showed against England how much they’ve got a dangerously quick attack, and then there’s South Africa. Not a bad team, not a great team either though. If this World Cup was not being held in South Africa, there would be virtually no chance of them getting through. But as a host nation, as we saw with South Korea in 2002, they could get through the group.
Uruguay are going to provide tough opposition for France this evening, sitting on the fence, it’s a tough one to call. Come the end of the evening, we’ll have a better idea about how much the French fancy it. If they pull off a win against Uruguay, and get through the group stages, the French could go all the way.
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