J'hallucine. Domenech still in charge.

[Ballon d'or Identity]

I don't know what to say.

[Fonsos]

Have a drink and get over it.
He has 'til the end of the year to get it right and not just by winning but by the way Les Bleus will play. Personally, I think it's fair. As I stated before, he got this team to a World Cup Final. I also understand why many of you feel he should be gone but I think only good things can from this. If this team doesn't light it up then say hello to M. Deschamps in Decembre.

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Fonsos

[DaPrince84]

why wasnt he fired?

[Ballon d'or Identity]

Have a drink and get over it.
He has 'til the end of the year to get it right and not just by winning but by the way Les Bleus will play. Personally, I think it's fair. As I stated before, he got this team to a World Cup Final. I also understand why many of you feel he should be gone but I think only good things can from this. If this team doesn't light it up then say hello to M. Deschamps in Decembre.

A+,
Fonsos

We need every single moment of those two years ahead of us to rebuild and you're saying that if he doesn't deliver well he'll be replaced ?
I say it'll be a waste of time and a possible non-qualification for the world cup cause if we have to change him in a few months, it'll mean that the french team doesn't do good. The next selectionneur will then have to rebuild and have a perfect sheet on the remaining way.
Great idea FFF.

[Ballon d'or Identity]

why wasnt he fired?

No he wasn't. Today the french federation had to decide to keep him or not.
They chose the first option.

[Fonsos]

We need every single moment of those two years ahead of us to rebuild and you're saying that if he doesn't deliver well he'll be replaced ?
I say it'll be a waste of time and a possible non-qualification for the world cup cause if we have to change him in a few months, it'll mean that the french team doesn't do good. The next selectionneur will then have to rebuild and have a perfect sheet on the remaining way.
Great idea FFF.

The FFF were the ones stating if he doesn't deliver he's out - not me. Not only must he deliver but he's got to put together an impressive side, so it's a bit more complex than just delivering. If there's a period of doing such a thing, this is it. Wait any longer your S.O.L. Keep in mind that he's probably made a deal with Devil by staying from the perspective that the FFF will probably have a bit more say in regards to players chosen (this is my reading between the lines of the FFF's Communique).

Here's the WCQ group pour les Bleus

France - Romania - Lithuania - Serbia - Austria - Faroe Islands

If France isn't winning this group by December, he's out. It's that simple. Hell, if Les Bleus don't win this group there's a serious problem and not just with the coaching staff. Players still need to step up to the plate and deliver.

If he's not there after the Final WCQ match of this year then whomever is the next manager will not have to rebuild from a player personnel perspective. More than likely he'll use the same players and use a different set of tactics. I expect that this team will attack like it's going out of style since that was the problem during Euro 2008. I also expect this team to be very young.

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Fonsos

[SuperSebGrimaldi]

why wasnt he fired?

I wrote this explanation elsewhere, but here's why you should not be shocked about this.

Domenech is a persona grata at the FFF as he, to use a mafia term, is a “made man” there. I don’t think there’s another way to put it. He was a U-21 coach for over a decade, and has been at the FFF even a bit longer. Escalettes, the President of the FFF, is similar. He is also only known in France as a FFF guy. He wasn’t a Platini or a Kopa. So he’s always been a Domenech sympathizer, if you will, and there’s also the matter that he was behind Domenech’s getting an extension after the World Cup. As the President, it’d look bad if Domenech were to be removed and he was the one who was the reason why the FFF would have to give Domenech his “early termination” clause, which isn’t insubstantial, admittedly.

Anyway, not to bore everybody, but the Escalettes’ contingent’s dislike of Deschamps is similar. Didier earned all of his plaudits on the field, and didn’t go through the coaching training that Domenech, among others, did. After all, as soon as DD retired, he became a manager, whereas it’s been said the FFF prefers its coaches to have some training/service in advance of becoming the sélectionneur des Bleus.

Although if Domenech does stay on and the early qualifiers don’t go well, both Domenech and Escalettes would be on the hook.

Regardless, I'm disappointed. I though the Post-Domenech Era thread I started was a good one, too. :(

[Fonsos]

I wrote this explanation elsewhere, but here's why you should not be shocked about this.

Domenech is a persona grata at the FFF as he, to use a mafia term, is a “made man” there. I don’t think there’s another way to put it. He was a U-21 coach for over a decade, and has been at the FFF even a bit longer. Escalettes, the President of the FFF, is similar. He is also only known in France as a FFF guy. He wasn’t a Platini or a Kopa. So he’s always been a Domenech sympathizer, if you will, and there’s also the matter that he was behind Domenech’s getting an extension after the World Cup. As the President, it’d look bad if Domenech were to be removed and he was the one who was the reason why the FFF would have to give Domenech his “early termination” clause, which isn’t insubstantial, admittedly.

Anyway, not to bore everybody, but the Escalettes’ contingent’s dislike of Deschamps is similar. Didier earned all of his plaudits on the field, and didn’t go through the coaching training that Domenech, among others, did. After all, as soon as DD retired, he became a manager, whereas it’s been said the FFF prefers its coaches to have some training/service in advance of becoming the sélectionneur des Bleus.

Although if Domenech does stay on and the early qualifiers don’t go well, both Domenech and Escalettes would be on the hook.

Regardless, I'm disappointed. I though the Post-Domenech Era thread I started was a good one, too. :(


I thought this decision was made by the board @ the FFF?
I read a blurb from Aulas (L'equipe or something else, can't remember) - and my impression was that he wanted him gone big time - that confirmed that Ray is on a serious ass lifeline with his being retained.

However given more background on their relationship @ the FFF this makes sense although Platini's speaking on behalf of Domenech is a bit baffling.

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Fonsos

[lefutur]

How is Domenech gonna deliver "impressive results"??? He could NEVER get this team capable of even scoring goals!

What makes the FFF think he has the ability to turn things around?

[SuperSebGrimaldi]

What makes the FFF think he has the ability to turn things around?

Perhaps they're all romantics and they think Estelle will give Ray the confidence he requires?

Oh, and to clarify, yes, the members of the federal council of the FFF made the decision. The majority of those are in cohorts with Escalettes. I assume those who had doubts voted "oui" anyway to show a united front, which is the positive here, I think. If anything, the FFF is being more coherent than it's been, and is not allowing divisive politics to alter the tranquility of the organization. On the other hand, they do appear to be very disinclined to do anything to alter the status quo, which is disappointing to a degree, though if this motivates the players and Domenech, then I think we'll be alright, for now, anyway.

Let's think positively about the qualifiers. We don't have an easy, nor an extremely difficult, group, though an improved EdF should be able to be in top position. We will see.

[zizouForlife]

How is Domenech gonna deliver "impressive results"??? He could NEVER get this team capable of even scoring goals!

What makes the FFF think he has the ability to turn things around?
because his done it before

i think some of you are being too emotional on this. its true he screwed up, but thats not a reason to immediately fire.

FFF is going for his records here, and they show despite dissappoiting euro his archieved almost everything, by that i mean reviving broken france in 2004 and leading them in difficult qualifiing group and finally the world cup finals. i know people will say it was zidane, but Ray used him to his advantage, which is part of his coaching philosophy that a team should have young and experiencd old players, which can be good or bad depending on succes, as you have 06 world cup success and euro 08 disaster. you can't expect infants to go playing in a big stage like euro especially those players who player in ligue 1.

people may call him coward, but taking a team to the world cup final and keeping the job, knowing full well he might screw up his reputation, in my imo is bravery. and his also the first coach to lead FRance into 2 consecutive internation tournamet through qualification

i'm not trying tosympathize, yes he screwed big time, but he is not the first, so did the current spanish coach and look where he is right

[Kazuma]

No, no, non, iie. There is just no way in hell.

Deschamps has done a lot more than Domenech would dream of at club level. The FFF are morons obviously but Deschamps would be a much better choice than this star reading joke we've got.

Oh well. :(

[ToBeAGooner]

LOL. France deserves whatever failure Domenech brings them. What a joke of a decision.

[Fonsos]

LOL. France deserves whatever failure Domenech brings them. What a joke of a decision.


Ouf!!
As an Arsenal supporter you should be one of the last people on the planet making such a remark and I hope you're not England supporter as well. If so I'm thinking do you know the way to Macedonia.....

Fonsos

[ToBeAGooner]

Ouf!!
As an Arsenal supporter you should be one of the last people on the planet making such a remark and I hope you're not England supporter as well. If so I'm thinking do you know the way to Macedonia.....

Fonsos

I posted my sympathies to French supporters after their elimination from the Euro cup. I felt bad that such a twat of a manager was doing his best to bore us to death while selecting the worst team and tactics possible. If the FFF thinks thats acceptable, then my pity and sympathy is gone.

Besides, as an Arsenal supporter I have every right to hate him for trotting out shite like Abidal and Sagnol over Clichy and Sagna.

[KumarsS]

I just read this on soccernet. I'm sorry. I don't know what else to say. I thought he would be fired for sure, he must have very good friends in the FFF.

[ferrari77]

Please accept my commiserations fans of Les bleus.
I am astounded as to how he could retain his job. He seriously has to be a "made" guy in the FFF.

Hopefully we'll see both England and France qualify for 2010.
Allez les bleus.

[NicolasN.]

- Domenech failed in everything. No one liked him from the very beginning because of his attitude and his incompetence but since he reached the final of the WC06 we couldn't criticize him anymore. This WC06 wasn't his triumph but Zidane, Makelele and Thuram's triumph. This final is a proof of his failure because at first he did nothing for them to don't retire. He was forced to it during the pathetic world cup qualification campaign because of the mediatic pressure.

- He made a lot of mistakes during the Euro08. If we are focusing only on the sportive aspect, he took a lot of senseless decisions. In my opinion the most shocking one is fielding Toulalan and Makelele together. There is no complementary between them. That's the first thing he should have thought but he didn't. Toulalan will replace Makelele but he can't play next to him because his offensive abilities are really limited.

During a competition like an Euro you have to perform well from the very beginning to the end of the competition, so what's the point in changing the system and half of the team (almost...) after each game ? There is no point in acting like that. A little bit of stability is good to show that you believe in your players and also for them to feel at ease in a specific formation.

We can criticize as well the fact Abidal started the game against Italy because can you imagine how Abidal felt ? he was on the bench against the Nederlands and he starts against Italy. He and Gallas had a hard time to deal with Toni. Even though he missed some chances he was a constant threat. Perhaps, I'm the only one person thinking like that but in my opinion he had a very good game against France.

There is also the fact he left out Mexes of the team. It was obvious that Thuram was unable to play 3 games within 10 days and his natural replacement was Mexes. Yet, he picked some OL defenders...

We can also argue about some of his subbing decisions...

- We can also focus on his communication, doctors...There is much to say but I think my message is too long already. :p

[jerrito]

Wow. I was going to come in and ask how France supporters felt about this as I had just heard this news. But the title is already the response I was expecting. How do the rest of you feel?

[Fonsos]

I posted my sympathies to French supporters after their elimination from the Euro cup. I felt bad that such a twat of a manager was doing his best to bore us to death while selecting the worst team and tactics possible. If the FFF thinks thats acceptable, then my pity and sympathy is gone.

Besides, as an Arsenal supporter I have every right to hate him for trotting out shite like Abidal and Sagnol over Clichy and Sagna.

Interesting that you would hate him because he didn't call up the two Arsenal players. Would you have felt this way had it been during your season in the EPL? There were still a few others ahead of both players you named, so you would have been pissed no matter what.

FFF has put together a program that's a winner - a hell of alot more than the FA can say, so your pity and sympathy is wasted here.

Fonsos