France crawl home needing to explain shameful show
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}By Patrick Vignal
Coach Raymond Domenech, whose traumatic six-year tenure ended it controversy when he refused to shake South Africa coach Carlos Alberto Parreira's hand after a 2-1 defeat by the hosts, is now out the picture and not many France fans will regret him.
It is a different story for the players, who arguably embarrassed themselves even more than the coach, boycotting a training session in support of striker Nicolas Anelka, after he was sent home in disgrace for insulting Domenech.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Most play for top European clubs and have a career to carry on with, notably Patrice Evra, who lost his captain's armband and his place in the starting line-up for leading the players' rebellion.
"It's time for us to apologize," Evra said on Tuesday after France were kicked out of the tournament by the hosts, who had never beaten a top side before and had no reasons to show any hospitality.
The France players, Evra also said, were ready to give up their bonuses. That might not be good enough either, their supporters feeling they certainly do not deserve any reward for bringing shame to their team and country.
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Domenech too will be blamed for never managing to reason with his rebellious players and for improvising all along, hesitating between two tactical systems, neither of which worked, and between two equally disappointing playmakers, Yoann Gourcuff and Franck Ribery.
The stubborn 58-year-old, who will now make way for Laurent Blanc, declined to explain what went wrong.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"This is a time for disappointment, not for explanations," Domenech added.
France had fared just as poorly on the pitch at Euro 2008 but the scandals off it in South Africa made this World Cup campaign their worst ever performance at a major tournament.
"French football has suffered from this," Domenech admitted. "I'm in pain and distress."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}So deep was France's crisis that one player, Eric Abidal, had asked not to play their final group game, saying he did not feel capable of it, Domenech said.
The whole story, with internal squabbling, players feeling isolated and the coach struggling to assert his authority, might come out one day.
In the meantime, Domenech said he could see hope for that France team. Not many fans will agree with him and most of them will only feel they have been let down by a side once among the finest in the world.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}(Editing by Michael Holden)