Zidane Replacement

[sl7vk]

What about Malbranque? Not that he's a "replacement" but he's been on fire recently.

So injury prone.... Has he been capped for Belgium? I know that he threatened to play for them for a while, but I'm not sure if he ever made good on his threat.

[Mr. Bee]

So injury prone.... Has he been capped for Belgium? I know that he threatened to play for them for a while, but I'm not sure if he ever made good on his threat.

I'm about 99.9% sure he's never been capped for anybody but France

[sl7vk]

I think your right....

He's younger than I thought he was.... 25 or so?

[lefutur]

An article calling Ribery the next Zidane


http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldFootballNews&storyID=URI:urn:newsml:reuters.com:20051129:MTFH02645_2005-11-29_01-09-14_L26617212:1

[soji22]

I saw Ribery in a league match versus Monaco on Fox Soccer Channel recently, and I was definitely impressed. I'm not sure that he is in the Zidane mould -- I admit to not knowing a great deal about him, but he looks more like an old-fashioned winger, whereas Zizou is the consummate trequartista. His style is quick, direct, and audacious -- not your stereotypical French player. I'd love it if he were included in France's squad for the World Cup. We can use young, hungry players like him. A lot of the senior players look like they just cannot be bothered anymore... By the way, does any one know if Domenech has been granted a contract extention? To my knowledge, his current deal is due to expire at year's end; the FFF had been rumored to be lining up Didier Deschamps as his replacement.

[lefutur]

I saw Ribery in a league match versus Monaco on Fox Soccer Channel recently, and I was definitely impressed. I'm not sure that he is in the Zidane mould -- I admit to not knowing a great deal about him, but he looks more like an old-fashioned winger, whereas Zizou is the consummate trequartista. His style is quick, direct, and audacious -- not your stereotypical French player. I'd love it if he were included in France's squad for the World Cup. We can use young, hungry players like him. A lot of the senior players look like they just cannot be bothered anymore... By the way, does any one know if Domenech has been granted a contract extention? To my knowledge, his current deal is due to expire at year's end; the FFF had been rumored to be lining up Didier Deschamps as his replacement.

I dont think they will replace Domenech. The best replacement would be PLG but I just dont see it happening.

[soji22]

I dont think they will replace Domenech. The best replacement would be PLG but I just dont see it happening.

I'm not sure that Domenech is the right person to be leading a fragile France squad to Germany. He just doesn't inspire confidence.

[sl7vk]

Even if Domenech wins the bloody World Cup they are going to replace his ass. The FFF is sick of his antics, he's a bloody imbarrasment.
PLG would be great, but the next French National Team manager will be Didier Deschamps.

[Nanbawan]

Even if Domenech wins the bloody World Cup they are going to replace his ass. The FFF is sick of his antics, he's a bloody imbarrasment.
PLG would be great, but the next French National Team manager will be Didier Deschamps.

They could have thought about that a little while before. They went for the 'easier' solution at the time...French management at its best. :mad:

[Nanbawan]

Tell Bush we finally found a weapon of mass destruction.



Er, actually no, don't tell him. :o

[guignol]

They could have thought about that a little while before. They went for the 'easier' solution at the time...French management at its best. :mad:whoa nelly!

first of all, i'm not convinced domenech is all that bad even now. i think his insistance on the costa rica match raised his stock with the players. bringing in anelka, idem.

at the time raymond was tabbed, he seemed an excellent choice. who better to bring in the new generation than the man who had already coached them, and with no inconsiderable success.

and if deschamps or PLG seem obvious choices now, it was far from the case in 2004; not only did they have less stature than now, they were both in jobs they were not likely to leave.

[Nanbawan]

whoa nelly!

first of all, i'm not convinced domenech is all that bad even now.

I don't think he's the lowest of low either. It's just his attitude regarding what he's achieved. This said, he might be more open minded than he seems and I'd be delighted if I were to be completely wrong. The main thing I want is a good performance by the NT.

[gaijin]

Domenech is not a bad coach per se, but he just refuses to take a gamble on certain players...

Such as Zizou's next successor, Franck Ribery.

[lefutur]

I think his main job, aside from being the "selectioneur" and selecting the side that plays, is to be a motivator. When you look at the talent in France currently and even in the squads that he picks, it seems that they are sometimes lacking a *spark*.

A good couch (i.e. PLG) can create that spark and desire to win.


But this thread is about Zidane's "replacement", if it actually exists.

I dont think he's replaceable but Ribery may come closest to filling the void once he leaves. If Domenech doesnt call Ribery up then I will have major issues with him. full stop.

[sl7vk]

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39020000/jpg/_39020611_domenech203.jpg

http://www.telegraaf.nl/multimedia/archive/00510/domenech_jpg_510771c.jpg
http://www.football365.fr/mediastore/foot/photos_articles/bleus/FRANCE_ESPOIRS_DOMENECH.jpg

[Nanbawan]

A good couch (...) can create that spark and desire (...) .


Something has expressed itself through your post... :o ;)

[gaijin]

http://perso.wanadoo.fr/kerbreizh/images/sport/domenech/domenechnouveau/domenechnouveau.jpg

[gaijin]

http://perso.wanadoo.fr/kerbreizh/images/sport/domenech/domenechguiness/domenechguinness.jpg

[Nanbawan]

Despite his Guivarc'h like name, he's not Breton ; he's from the SW I think.

[gaijin]

Might be a Lyonnais actually...