Domenech Stays, France Is Disappointed

By: Corey | July 3rd, 2008

The LFP announced what most French football fans had already suspected today, that Raymond Domenech would stay on as boss under certain conditions. He tentatively had the job for another 3 games, with matches against Austria on September 6, Serbia on September 10, and Euro 2008 rivals Romania on October 11. These three matches are his proving ground as we must see improvement and an evolution of the team or he will be fired and replaced by Deschamps most likely.

Here is some assored comments from the FFF men:

“Domenech’s record is not that bad as coach,” he said. “It is not catastrophic. He qualified us two straight times for a major competition,” the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008.

“I did not want emotion and passion to get the better of reason,” Escalettes said.

Escalettes said the council members voted 18-0 in favor of keeping Domenech, with one abstention. However, he suggested that Domenech may stand down if France does not get a good start to its 2010 qualifying campaign.

“He is the first to be self-critical,” Escalettes said. “Everyone is fully aware that the French team must evolve. We will see where things are in mid-October. But we have not asked him to sign a contract. It is a moral contract.”

He also insisted that Domenech must improve his current communication strategy, criticizing the coach for remarks that were “sometimes like pouring vinegar on a wound.”

“That has to change to reconcile him with the French fans,” the federation president said.

“No more France-Romania’s,” Escalettes said, urging Les Bleus to start playing attractive football again.

French football league president Frederic Thiriez said the fans were let down at last month’s tournament.

“We apologize to the fans of the French team, but the failure was collective and everyone must take their part of the blame,” Thiriez said. “I back the decision taken by the president. When you are in trouble the only answer is solidarity.”

He only has one mission now, to concentrate on what happens on the field,” Escalettes said. “Now the communication has to be focused on the French team, not personal viewpoints. … In my opinion this communication was sometimes disastrous, aggressive and lacking clarity. He has a few years of experience behind him, and it’s up to him to show he can bounce back from this failure.”

Domenech was publicly backed by captain Patrick Vieira, defender Willy Sagnol and several other players.

“That carried some weight,” Escalettes said “If it was just Vieira and Sagnol, that would have been worrying but that there was (Franck) Ribery, (Karim) Benzema, and (Hatem) Ben Arfa proves something.”

He baffles many with numerous things he does in the job. But what matters at the end of the day is he has a good repor with many of his players, except the ones he banishes like Trezeguet. And if the senior players like him, and some of the bright young stars do too, then its an obvious decision. I dont like it, but its the easy call. Your thoughts?