Does everybody love Raymond ?
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On April Fool’s day, French manager Raymond Domenech made a joke : he announced on the French Federation’s website that his national team would not participate in Euro 2008.
At the time, some people laughed or at least smiled at the idea. Today, many of them wish it had been the truth. Because Domenech’s players did not live up to the hopes of 60 million French fans, who think the team should be ashamed of its performances.
Two years after bringing les Bleus to the world cup final in Germany, Raymond Domenech is threatened… A decision on whether he remains national coach will be made on July 3.
When he was asked about his future after the 2-0 defeat against Italy, he proposed to his girlfriend and mother of his children Estelle Denis (who is a famous journalist / anchorwoman in France). An answer that clearly upset French fans, many of whom are aking for Domenech to be fired.
Because if Raymond Domenech led the team to the final two years ago, he is not – nor has ever been – loved by the French audience like former coach Aimé Jacquet, ho led the team to the world cup trophy ten years ago. But the truth is Aimé Jacquet was very criticized by both media and fans in France prior to the world cup in 1998.
The difference is one of them actually won the world cup…
The other thing that people do not like about Raymond Domenech is the way he answers questions. Most of the time he is ironic…
Of course he is not agressive. When you watch his press conferences, he is actually pretty nice… joking with journalists. But he does not say anything interesting about the game or the team itself
There really is something about communication that Domenech does not like.
And it just so happens that there really is something about Raymond Domenech that French fans don’t like.
Maybe it is the fact that he has never won anything (except for a second division title in the late eighties).
Maybe it is the way he answers – or does not answer – the questions he is asked.
Maybe it is the sardonic smile he has everytime someone asks him something…
Whatever it is, it will all count against him on July 3rd, the day the French federation will give its decision…
By Roxanne Roche
