Comments on: 5 6 Things We Learned in SwissAustria, June 17

By: Jan

Jan — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 09:37:01 +0000

We had a bbq last night, 4 French + me and 6 Italians. Everyone agreed that with Ribéry and Abidal the game could have gone differently.
What a shame for France, although we will finally get rid of Domenech, Deschamps as a coach would be great!

By: Marco Pantanella

Marco Pantanella — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 08:18:36 +0000

Hey I never said Thuram wasn’t a class act. I love the guy, one of the best defenders ever to play at Juve and in Serie A.

Just don’t base it on wrong assumptions.

By: Laurie

Laurie — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 04:02:10 +0000

Oh, fine, Marco. Just destroy my delusions about my boys being noble.

By: Marco Pantanella

Marco Pantanella — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 02:31:06 +0000

http://www.europe1.fr/Sport/Euro-2008/Les-Bleus/Euro-2008-France-Thuram-veut-jouer-l-Italie/(gid)/143967

If you need another source…

By: Marco Pantanella

Marco Pantanella — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 02:30:03 +0000

Thuram asked to be benched? That’s a new one Laurie… (and completely untrue).
http://www.lequipe.fr/Football/20080615_114100_thuram-ne-se-l-explique-pas_Dev.html

By: Kxevin

Kxevin — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 01:51:50 +0000

K summed it up perfectly. Abidal, for us over at Barcelona, has always crapped it up when forced to defend from a central position anywhere near the box. Fine winger, but just festering shite in the middle.

Benzema’s value keeps dropping with every match. He’s right to want to stay at Lyon and develop.

I just don’t get Domenech. His animus toward Trezeguet is unfathomable. Anelka over Trezeguet? I just don’t understand. Henry was pretty invisible, as well.

But really, as has already been stated, the match changed on two plays: Ribery’s injury and Abidal’s brain fart. Hell, concede the goal, or at least let Coupet try to earn his keep. To mug the guy in the box like that….I dunno.

Thuram I can forgive. He isn’t the man he once was and injured, he would have just been a pylon. Sagnol should have gutted it out, though. Wonder if this will be the tournament that gets Domenech fired? Here’s hoping.

By: gianfranco

gianfranco — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 01:46:11 +0000

Hana and K, I should have known your incite here to be just as valuable as it is at Milan. I have never met a guy more pigheaded than Domenech, his personal issues left guys like Trez and Mexes off the roster, and a team really missing valuable pieces…

It was a shame it wasnt a better a game, but I am relieved that its over in favor of Italy.

By: joejoejoe

joejoejoe — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 01:21:50 +0000

It’s sad to see the end of the run for this group of French players. I think only Thierry Henry and Patrick Viera are left now from the ‘98 WC and ‘00 Euro champions and there is no guarantee either will be healthy or in form for the 2010 World Cup. France is a great fooball nation but “France” isn’t the same team we are all used to seeing. Zidane pulling a rabbit out of his hat to get France to the ‘06 WC finals probably clouded the judgement of Domenech when it came to the virtues of youth.

By: k

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:45:03 +0000

it really does suck for france the game went down the way it did… but domenech only has himself to blame… france’s main problem seemed to have been their attack and their defence… and the 2 players left home could have very, very easily solved that problem… leaving a 20 goal season striker in trezeguet and a central defender as good as mexes at home was the downfall of france… it begs the question, would mexes have made the same mistake abidal did… instead of having a wingback fill in the central position he could have taken one of the best center backs all season in europe…

and when considering the lack of goals that they have had to deal with, a striker like trezeguet who just always seem to pop up at the right place at the right time would have been invaluable… a foolish, foolish decision by domenech…

By: Hana

Hana — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:36:59 +0000

Weird comment from Gullit, considering he was a Milan legend. Oh well, I suppose love for your club doesn’t necessarily translate into love for the national team.

I’m not sure what Domenech did to mess with the fates, but nothing was going right for Les Bleus, hard to bounce back when one of your best players is out at the 9th minute. Sad to see.