The French have a history of revolting. I am not referring to snails. I am referring to their politics.
During the Revolution the French went through so much social and political change that its effects are still not quite played out throughout global politics. But most French right now probably don’t give a tinker’s cuss about that. They just want Domenech out and Anelka back.
The French game plan of, a) pass the ball to the nearest Frenchman and then completely desert him, and then b) cheat when necessary, has not served them well since Euro. At the end of that tournament, Domenech tried to distract everyone by proposing to his girlfriend live on national television. This showed his mind was not on the job. Well, maybe it showed that his mind was on the job, but it is certain he wasn’t thinking about coaching.
Anelka had earned a reputation as a complainer at some previous clubs, but this is a tantrum of epic performance. Zidane, a man with a head for football, has said that Domenech is “not a coach”. Unfortunately Zizou, he is. France have not looked the same since Zidane and Thuram retired from international football, and France look like the absolute cliché of a group of individuals masquerading as a team.
During the French revolution, the monarchy that had ruled France collapsed in three years. It may appear that the current French team have collapsed in three weeks, but really, this is a long drawn out saga, and we are now seeing the horrible death throes of a process that began at the end of Germany ’06.
The image of Zidane “Zidanning” Materazzi in to the turf in Germany has become football’s answer to the Zapruder film. At the time, it was seen as the great player cracking under some sort of taunt, or perceived taunt. In truth, it was the beginning of the end. After their desperate showing against Italy (again) at Euro, France lost Thuram. Then, in the hand of frog debacle, Henry tried to show off his Gaelic football prowess at just the right moment to get France on the plane to South Africa.
France doesn’t appear to have leaders any more. Franck Ribery, the man who was expected to be France’s playmaker, has had his own personal and legal problems to deal with, and it appears to be playing on his mind. A run for him in the Champion’s League Final could have helped, but the Court of Arbitration in Sport upheld that decision. He has other courts to deal with upon his return. They do not behead royalty in France any more. That must be a relief.
After the revolution, France evolved in to a democratic republic. After Anelka spoke up and was shipped, as a show of support, the players refused to train. It is basically a moot point now, as France’s tournament is all but over, but France now needs another revolution, and a strong leader, or their next tournament will be worse again.
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