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Domenech has final chance to prove credentials

Article Published: Monday 29 March 2010

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After defying the odds by keeping his job despite France's awful performance at the European Championship two years ago, controversial coach Raymond Domenech has another chance to prove his many doubters wrong at the World Cup.

Whatever happens to France in South Africa, Domenech will stand down after six years of a turbulent reign that only briefly sparkled when France reached the World Cup final four years ago, losing to Italy on penalty kicks after Zinedine Zidane was sent off in extra time for headbutting an opponent.

The headbutt on Marco Materazzi may have taken the spotlight away from Domenech, but he has rarely been out of it since.

Whether arguing heatedly with former internationals, proposing live on television to his girlfriend, or claiming the French press wanted him guillotined, the 58-year-old Domenech often hits the sports headlines.

"It has been a lovely six years," Domenech said recently of his time in charge. "It's had its ups and downs, but I wouldn't have swapped it for anything."

A tough defender who made eight appearances for France and more than 500 for Lyon, Bordeaux and Paris Saint-Germain, Domenech has not won a major title in a 25-year coaching career. He won the second division with Lyon in 1989 and lost the European Championship final with the French under-21 team in 2002.

Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc and Marseille coach Didier Deschamps are favored to replace Domenech.

Domenech's seemed certain to be fired after France went out of Euro 2008 without winning a group game. He appeared completely oblivious to the disappointment felt by 13 million French TV viewers when, after France's 2-0 loss to Italy, he asked his girlfriend Estelle Denis to marry him.

"I only have one plan, that is to marry Estelle," Domenech said live on television. "So I'm asking her for real today." The French press criticized him, forcing Domenech to issue a bizarre apology.

"Forgive me for having a trace of humanity at a time when I should have stayed cold, professional. Behind my coach's shell I had a hope, I wanted to tell the people I love that I love them," Domenech said the next day.

"For a moment I wasn't a robot, sorry about that." Domenech's seemingly fickle attitude pushed his already battered reputation beyond redemption.

"As much as I thought that he came away from the 2006 World Cup with his reputation enhanced after dealing with all the internal conflicts, I realize as much now that his rhetoric is hollow," former France midfielder Emmanuel Petit said.

Even if France wins the 2010 World Cup, fans will praise the players, not him, just as the fans saw Zidane as the architect of France's run to the 2006 final.

Following Euro 2008, Domenech kept his job after French football federation president Jean-Pierre Escalettes called for a vote.

Domenech wanted a show of hands instead of a close ballot and - perhaps fearing reprisals - the board voted 18-0 in his favor, with only one abstention.

Bixente Lizarazu, France's left back during the 1998 World Cup triumph, is among Domenech's outspoken critics.

After France qualified for this year's World Cup in controversial circumstances - Thierry Henry's handball helping to set up William Gallas for the goal that knocked out Ireland - Lizarazu and Domenech had a heated exchange on the radio.

Lizarazu said Domenech showed a lack of decorum by overly celebrating the qualification, and Domenech retorted that Lizarazu was a party-pooper.

In a recent interview with L'Equipe, Domenech reflected on that November night when Gallas' goal sent France through.

Domenech claimed that if France substitute Sidney Govou had scored with a late chance "everyone would have said it was comfortable" - forgetting that if Robbie Keane had taken further chances, France would have been trailing 3-0 before Gallas scored.

France's path to the World Cup was fraught with friction, as '98 World Cup winners like Petit, Lizarazu and Christophe Dugarry teamed up with the masses of French fans against Domenech.

Escalettes would have had little choice but to fire Domenech if France failed to beat Serbia at home in September 2008.

The French press gathered in more numbers than usual in Clairefontaine before that game. In his element, Domenech - a former theater actor -played up to the crowd.

"There's a lot of you today. Ah yes, that's right, the smell of blood interests you. I'm off to a good start, aren't I?" Domenech said provocatively.

"I'm really happy about one thing, that the guillotine doesn't exist anymore. Otherwise I could see a few people here who'd be absolutely delighted to send me to the scaffolds."

Domenech's ability to court controversy typified him even earlier in management. He once revealed a deep mistrust of Leos and Scorpios, excluding them from his Lyon team when he was chasing promotion to the first division.

"When there is a Leo in defense, my rifle is always ready. I know he'll want to show off at some stage. (A Scorpio) is a fighter who forces others to respond. He can motivate them, but two Scorpios end up killing each other," Domenech once said.

"I had time to prepare my recruitment policy and I made some choices." With or without Leos and Scorpios, he has yet to win anything with France.




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