Coupet slams Domenech and turns back on France
Reuters - Tuesday 30 September 2008, 08:39
PARIS - France coach Raymond Domenech
does not protect his players and is responsible for a bad
atmosphere in the team, goalkeeper Gregory Coupet said in an
interview released on Tuesday.
"People aren't happy in the France team", Coupet, who has
not played for France since their group stage exit from Euro
2008, told France Football magazine.
The 35-year-old former Olympique Lyon keeper, now with
Atletico Madrid, also made it clear his international career
was over. "I'm done with Les Bleus," he said.
Domenech, Coupet added, was a manipulator who failed to
make the most of a team blessed with talent.
"Domenech plays with people but if you keep doing that, you
stumble in the end," said Coupet. "It's ever so sad because
there is an amazing quality in that group and it's all being
wasted."
The abrasive France coach, who kept his job despite the
Euro 2008 fiasco, should have taken responsibility for the
team's failure, Coupet suggested.
"They sacked the doctor and the media guy," Coupet said.
"We were crap at Euro and that would be because of the doctor
and the guy responsible for the media. That's shameful."
LET DOWN
Coupet said Domenech, who has had a difficult relationship
with some of his players and the media, did not stand by his
players.
"He's got a pair on the left, (Eric) Abidal and (Florent)
Malouda, who are among the best in the world and instead of
doing everything to protect them, he makes them doubt," Coupet
said.
"Same for (defender Philippe) Mexes. He's so brilliant in
Italy with Roma and not at ease with France. There has to be a
problem and that's (a lack of) confidence. There are many other
examples."
Coupet, who was in the shadow of Fabien Barthez for years,
has won 37 caps for France and has been replaced as the
national team's number one by Olympique Marseille's Steve
Mandanda, with Lyon's Hugo Lloris now the number two.
"We're all ever so happy for Steve," Coupet said. "He
deserves it and so does Hugo.
"They're so much more gifted than I am and so impressive
for their age," he said. "But, once again, they need to be
protected."
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