Thierry Henry might “boycott” the match against South Africa
Les Bleus do not control their destiny when they meet SA tomorrow. Even winning does not guarantee passage to the Group of 16. They need either Mexico or Uruguay to lose. Then hope their goal differential is better.
There is word that some players may not appear in tomorrow’s match in support of the now departed Nicholas Anelka. There is speculation that they could be William Gallas, Thierry Henry, Eric Abidal and Franck Ribéry.
Thierry Henry not appearing would be ironic. Was that not part of his atonement for that lovely bit of cheating?
These players had already boycotted a training session in protest. They then got Raymond Domenech to read out a statement which was part of the problem. Was the coach supporting the boycott? Not really according to him.
“With the FFF president and staff members we tried to convince them it was stupid. I disagreed with the document. What they were doing was unthinkable.”
Domenech calls it “stupid” and yet reads out that very statement. Herein lies the problem, a coach who talks out of both corners of his mouth.
We will not miss France if they leave South Africa.
Would this be a disaster that would dwarf their 2002 World Cup debacle if they were eliminated in the group stages? I don’t think so because of the circumstances that brought them to the World Cup itself. A stolen match.
They were already a disaster even before they got to South Africa- it’s been one tawdry episode after another since then. The present implosion is just a manifestation of what ails French football.
At least in 2002, they can claim legitimately that their best player was missing for the first two matches. Without Zidane, Les Bleus lost their first match against Senegal, a former French colony, in a shocker. They scraped to a goalless draw against Uruguay losing Thierry Henry in the process. The last match against the Danes with a not fully recovered Zidane in their midst, saw them playing their best, but it was too little too late.
The FFF can start cleaning house by firing Raymond Domenech and finally installing a coach respected by the players. Hopefully, William Gallas will retire from international football and remove his disruptive presence. Ditto Thierry Henry. Ditto Eric Abidal. Ditto Franck Ribery who faces charges when he returns of having sex with an underage prostitute. Give way to a younger generation less egotistical and hungrier to represent their country.