Raymond Domenech today launched yet another ferocious tirade against the Italian national team. Carlo Garganese asks what the controversial French Coach’s problem is with Italy…
Raymond Domenech’s furious rants against everything Italian is not a recent phenomenon, it dates back a long time before he became Coach of France in July 2004.
His first public outburst against Italian football that can be found came in 2001, when he slammed the then Monaco defender Christian Panucci as “the biggest cheat I’ve ever known.â€
"This guy possesses all the flaws you can find in football," Domenech said.
"He is the biggest cheat I've ever known. I've seen some troublemakers among Italian defenders but never like him.
"Time-wasting, shirt-pulling, tackles from behind - he's a real wind-up merchant."
Domenech has often accused Italy of playing for draws, saying this was their intention both during the penalty-shoot out between the teams in the final of the World Cup in Berlin last summer, as well as in the Euro 2008 qualifier in Milan this September.
Domenech was of course banned from standing on the touchline during that game after remarks made to the French newspaper Le Parisien in the weeks prior to the match.
The 55-year-old accused Italy of bribing the referee of an Under-21 tie between France and Italy during the qualifying competition for the 2000 Sydney Olympic games.
If I was to go through every insult that Domenech has thrown at the Italian game over the past seven or eight years I would be here until next Christmas.
What I would like to know is just what Domenech’s obsession with the Italian game is?
It seems you cannot go more than a few days without reading another news story about Domenech and Italy.
Indeed it appears that the tactician suffers from a variant form of OCD – Obsessive-compulsive disorder. Maybe we should call it ICD – the ‘I’ standing for ‘Italian’.
One thing is for certain and that is that Domenech has no right to talk so disparagingly about Italy. If you are going to be arrogant and big-headed, you at least need to have the success to back it up.
Some accuse Jose Mourinho of being condescending and over-confident, but the truth is that he is one of the best coaches in the world and has won multiple league titles in Portugal and England, as well as the Champions League and UEFA Cup. If you like – he has a right to talk.
Domenech on the other hand has won nothing – he is a loser. What is more he has been a failure with some pretty outstanding teams.
While coach of the France Under-21s from 1993 to 2004, he had the golden generation of French football at his disposal, the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry, David Trezeguet, Robert Pires, Claude Makelele, Lilian Thuram – the list goes on an on.
And what exactly did Domenech win during these 11 years with the Under-21s – absolutely nothing!
The failure continued when he took over the senior side in 2004, and indeed Les Bleus may have not even made it to the World Cup in Germany had Zidane, Makelele and Thuram not been pressed out of retirement while the team were struggling in fourth place in their qualifying group.
The fact that France made it all the way to the final at the tournament was little to do with Domenech’s tactics, and much down to the legendary Zidane, who rolled back the years in the knockout stages.
I would like to think that France’s loss to Italy in Berlin was the reason behind his hatred, however as mentioned before, his animosity dates back way before this date.
Could Domenech just be misunderstood?
Some of the greatest geniuses the world has ever seen were often like this. The likes of Sir Isaac Newton and Vincent Van Gogh were ridiculed by the masses and seen as mentally unstable during their lifetimes, only to be seen as geniuses long after they had gone.
However I somehow doubt that Domenech fits into the ‘genius’ category.
Domenech is certainly an extravagant personality. A keen actor, he has performed on stage and television in France, so perhaps this explains his outlandishness.
He also has an avid interest in astrology and has admitted in the past to reading tarot cards to learn about players’ personalities. Indeed he refuses to have too many Leos in his side and says he does not like Scorpios.
On the other hand is the Italian press giving Domenech too much of a hard time?
The media can be very clever in asking questions that produce a controversial answer, which is then taken completely out of context.
Domenech accused the Italians of this following the Euro 2008 draw on December 2, and he subsequently promised to not talk about the Azzurri until France met them at Euro 2008 in June.
Unsurprisingly this silence lasted only several hours, and the coach was soon back on the anti-Italian bandwagon.
One thing is for certain and that is that Raymond Domenech is certainly an unorthodox character, and despite his regular and bizarre outbursts against Italy, the footballing world would be a much duller place without him.
Calcio Debate: What Is Domenech’s Problem With Italy?
Moderators: BillShankly, arxidi, Judge Judy, Forum Admins
me thinks domegrenache is jealous of the Italian National team sucess.
from wikipedia -
Raymond Domenech (born 24 January 1952 in Lyon) is a former French football player and the current manager of the French national team. He is of partly Southern Catalan descent. His father fled Spain during the rule of Francisco Franco. He has two children, Victoire (*2004) and Merlin (*2007) with famous football-specialized sports journalist Estelle Denis.
Explains it all, he is a wannabe Italian!
from wikipedia -
Raymond Domenech (born 24 January 1952 in Lyon) is a former French football player and the current manager of the French national team. He is of partly Southern Catalan descent. His father fled Spain during the rule of Francisco Franco. He has two children, Victoire (*2004) and Merlin (*2007) with famous football-specialized sports journalist Estelle Denis.
Explains it all, he is a wannabe Italian!
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Caramelas13
- Squad Player
- Posts: 1264
- Joined: Wed Apr 28, 2004 10:28 am
How is he a wannabe Italian?diegom wrote:me thinks domegrenache is jealous of the Italian National team sucess.
from wikipedia -
Raymond Domenech (born 24 January 1952 in Lyon) is a former French football player and the current manager of the French national team. He is of partly Southern Catalan descent. His father fled Spain during the rule of Francisco Franco. He has two children, Victoire (*2004) and Merlin (*2007) with famous football-specialized sports journalist Estelle Denis.
Explains it all, he is a wannabe Italian!
yeah nsCaramelas13 wrote:How is he a wannabe Italian?diegom wrote:me thinks domegrenache is jealous of the Italian National team sucess.
from wikipedia -
Raymond Domenech (born 24 January 1952 in Lyon) is a former French football player and the current manager of the French national team. He is of partly Southern Catalan descent. His father fled Spain during the rule of Francisco Franco. He has two children, Victoire (*2004) and Merlin (*2007) with famous football-specialized sports journalist Estelle Denis.
Explains it all, he is a wannabe Italian!
That was the question I was thinking when i read that as well. :?Caramelas13 wrote:diegom wrote:me thinks domegrenache is jealous of the Italian National team sucess.
from wikipedia -
Raymond Domenech (born 24 January 1952 in Lyon) is a former French football player and the current manager of the French national team. He is of partly Southern Catalan descent. His father fled Spain during the rule of Francisco Franco. He has two children, Victoire (*2004) and Merlin (*2007) with famous football-specialized sports journalist Estelle Denis.
Explains it all, he is a wannabe Italian!
How is he a wannabe Italian?
Things I am owed because they're too tight to pay up:
Colossus: One House
Costa: One Lunch
Oh and add in
Colossus: one photo and one letter from his "attorney".
Colossus: One House
Costa: One Lunch
Oh and add in
Colossus: one photo and one letter from his "attorney".
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delfino_1936
- Assistant Coach
- Posts: 12847
- Joined: Mon May 08, 2006 10:25 am
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delfino_1936
- Assistant Coach
- Posts: 12847
- Joined: Mon May 08, 2006 10:25 am
1 senoir tournement 1 WC final appearance = shit coachThe failure continued when he took over the senior side in 2004, and indeed Les Bleus may have not even made it to the World Cup in Germany had Zidane, Makelele and Thuram not been pressed out of retirement while the team were struggling in fourth place in their qualifying group.
The fact that France made it all the way to the final at the tournament was little to do with Domenech’s tactics, and much down to the legendary Zidane, who rolled back the years in the knockout stages.
I would like to think that France’s loss to Italy in Berlin was the reason behind his hatred, however as mentioned before, his animosity dates back way before this date.
yet if they had won the penalty shootout, he would be a master tactitian! Outplayed Italy in the final and Zidane blew it for France not the coach!
pires ur a dreamer... that match could of gone either way, it was very even.
hes right Zidane got them there, not Raymond. Liek Baggio in 94, Zidane carried his team and therefore like Baggio was the only one with a right to miss the penalty cause if it were not for him Italy would of never been there, Zidane was the only one with the right to do that and thus stuff up France cos he was the reason they were there in the first place.
Also this article is stupid, Carlo Garganese is a dead set wanka and the fact he gives this obvious and over-the-top subject more time on goal.com is stupid... hes a fucking cocksucker
hes right Zidane got them there, not Raymond. Liek Baggio in 94, Zidane carried his team and therefore like Baggio was the only one with a right to miss the penalty cause if it were not for him Italy would of never been there, Zidane was the only one with the right to do that and thus stuff up France cos he was the reason they were there in the first place.
Also this article is stupid, Carlo Garganese is a dead set wanka and the fact he gives this obvious and over-the-top subject more time on goal.com is stupid... hes a fucking cocksucker
that's probably fair, this article is stupid! So many points that could be picked at!LFTWNG11 wrote:pires ur a dreamer... that match could of gone either way, it was very even.
hes right Zidane got them there, not Raymond. Liek Baggio in 94, Zidane carried his team and therefore like Baggio was the only one with a right to miss the penalty cause if it were not for him Italy would of never been there, Zidane was the only one with the right to do that and thus stuff up France cos he was the reason they were there in the first place.
Also this article is stupid, Carlo Garganese is a dead set wanka and the fact he gives this obvious and over-the-top subject more time on goal.com is stupid... hes a fucking cocksucker