PARIS: Former France coach Raymond Domenech has branded international winger Franck Ribery as a “diva” whose influence pwoisoned the national side in his memoirs to be released tomorrow.
Domenech’s reign, which included the controversial player mutiny at the 2010 World Cup, are chronicled in a book Tout Seul (All Alone) which is based on the diary he kept during his spell in charge of the national team between 2004 and 2010.
The book is set for publication tomorrow.
In it the 60-year-old Domenech reveals his struggles with players including Ribery, Nicolas Anelka, Samir Nasri, Karim Benzema, Yoann Gourcuff and Florent Malouda.
Domenech was particularly scathing about Ribery, who last week said his Bundesliga club Bayern Munich was more important to him than the French national team ahead of the international friendly against Italy. In an extract from September 2009, Domenech wrote: “Ribery, he continued to poison the group by his attitude as a susceptible diva.
“When I wanted to thank him, he cold-shouldered me, pulling his arm away: ‘Don’t touch me!’ For everything Ribery stood for I would have gladly strung him up.”
Domenech went on to say that he had been warned about Ribery by a senior player.
“A senior player from Euro 2008 warned me about Ribery and I gave him the key! What a fool I am ..,” wrote Domenech after France’s 2-0 defeat to Mexico at the 2010 World Cup. Regarding Nicolas Anelka, whose exclusion from the squad for insulting Domenech during the 2010 World Cup led to the infamous training ground strike by the players, the former coach’s opinion was divided.
“A centre forward of high level,” he wrote after a 2-0 win over Serbia in September 2008.
But after France’s 2-0 loss to Mexico and Anelka’s insults, Domenech wrote: “Anelka has killed the group ... after this shipwreck, an image woke me up a bit: (William) Gallas and Anelka joking after the game. What unconsciousness.”
As well as criticising the “self interest” of Manchester City winger Nasri and “arrogance” of Real Madrid’s Benzema, Domenech expressed his respect for former World Cup winners Lilian Thuram and Zinedine Zidane. AFP
