Raymond Domenech - LEAVE, please, just go away!

Well, going into this Euro 2008, I didn't think that France had that great of a chance, honestly. With Henry and Viera hurt, and the great Zizou no longer a fixture on the national team, I though France's chances were pretty dim.

Still, thought they might have been able to advance to the knockout stage.

But, of course, we didn't!

After watching the three disastrous games, there was a number of places that one could see faults.

The most noticeable change I saw on the field was the lack of leadership. In the past, Zidane was not just a great player, but a field marshall as well. He would tell his players were to go, what to do and he would argue bad calls. Basically, he would be a 'part' of the game, not just a player in the game.

This time, there was no leadership. Nobody as really stood up and said 'hey, I want to be the leader of this team'. Whenever France was called for a foul, the players rarely argued the call. That is the difference between the Zizou and the post-Zizou era.

But to say the lack of leadership is the reason that France did horrible would just be a joke.

Ninety percent of the reason that France lost was Raymond Domenech!

So, bear with me while I stand on my soapbox and let it all out.

First....player selection! Did anyone else question this line up? Well, lets just look at the players that Domenech sent and did send.

David Trezeguet? Where was he? Is he still alive? You would have to wonder if he was if you watch the French national team with regularity. This was the man who had the golden goal that lead France to their Euro 2000 Championship. But Domenech just doesn't want the guy to play. Why? Is it that there is a rift between Henry and Trezegeut? Who knows? Still, where was France's 3rd all-time goal scorer?

Nicholas Anelka? Why was HE there. I can understand why Henry, Benzema and Gomis were selected to the team. Buy why Anelka? He has proven nothing on the international level. He doesn't have great skills. He is a ball hog, and always tries to do everything himself (though one can say the same about Henry as well). Still, this guy shouldn't ever be allowed near the French national team!

Who should have been on the squad? Well, let me list them: Trezegeut, Djibril Cissé, Givet and Silvestre would be a great addition to the team.

Who shouldn't be on the squad? Here ya go: Anelka, Francois Clerc and, yes, I hate to say it, Gregory Coupet.

I have always been a Coupet fan, but I think his age has caught up with him. He rarely moved. I just stood there and just watch the goals scored on him. While, on the other hand, Mickael Landreau (who I feel should be the starting goaltender) wasn't even put on the squad.

So, that is just who should have been there and who shouldn't have been there with the players that were either on the squad or recent call-ups. But there are other players that Domenech hasn't even looked at but have turned heads in France. Some of these players are Mamadou Niang of Marseille, Rafik Saifi of Lorient and Johan Audel (I'm going out on a limb on this one) would all be great additions to the team.

But it wasn't just the selections, it was Domenech's choice of starters as well. Game three, against Italy, he doesn't start Willy Sangol? WHAT? That doesn't make any sense whatsoever.

So who replaces him? Francois Clerc? Clerc for Sangol? CRAZY! That is nearly as crazy as me trying to trade Tom Brady for Rex Grossman in my fantasy football league. That god my friends put some sense into me. But it seems nobody is putting Domenech in his place.

Alright, honestly, I could go on for hours. I can blame many people. I can blame Arnese Wenger, teaching Henry to make his goals look 'pretty'. Thanks to that kind of teaching, Henry kicks the goal over the net instead of an easy goal in the net that would have changed the dynamics of the French-Holland game.

Ok, ok, I will quit now! The main point here....get rid of Domenech NOW. Don't wait, can his ass.

And while I have heard a lot that Didier Deschamps is pretty much the front runner, I think the FFF should strongly look at Laurent Blanc as well.

Domenech calls up 24 Players from Ligue 1

Even though many of the superstars of Les Bleus are in other countries, Ligue 1 has their share of players, which will make up the majority of their side in the Euro 2008 qualifiers against Italy and Scotland.

Here is the French squad that has been called up by Domenech:

Goalkeepers Mickaël Landreau (PSG) Sébastien Frey (Fiorentina) Ulrich Ramé (Bordeaux)

Defenders Eric Abidal (Barcelona) François Clerc (Lyon) Julien Escudé (Séville) Patrice Evra (Manchester United) William Gallas (Arsenal) Philippe Mexès (Roma) Bakary Sagna (Arsenal) Lilian Thuram (Barcelona)

Midfielders Alou Diarra (Bordeaux) Lassana Diarra (Chelsea) Claude Makelele (Chelsea) Samir Nasri (Marseille) Jérémy Toulalan (Lyon) Patrick Vieira (Inter Milan)

Strikers Nicolas Anelka (Bolton) Karim Benzema (Lyon) Sidney Govou (Lyon) (pictured)Thierry Henry (Barcelona) Florent Malouda (Chelsea) Franck Ribéry (Bayern Munich) David Trezeguet (Juventus)

Domenech suspended for one match against Italy, of course!

French manager Raymond Domenech has been suspended for one match for remarks that he made earlier in the month in regards to to possible match fixing in a past under-21 match against Italy.

FIFA has imposed a one game ban against the French manager. The match that Domenech has been banned from is, well, yes, against Italy. He will not be on the bench for France (as of right now) for the Sept. 8th Euro 2008 qualifier against Italy in Milan. And with France leading Table B by two points over Italy, the loss will be felt.

But there is a chance that Domenech will be on the French side. The French Football Federation said they will meet with the French manager on Tuesday to discuss his side of the story. More than likely, the FFF will appeal the FIFA ban.

Domenech in hot water with FIFA.

France coach Raymond Domenech confirmed yesterday he faced a hearing by UEFA over controversial comments about refereeing he made in a newspaper interview last week.

In an interview with French daily Le Parisien, Domenech had accused Italy of bribing the referee of an under-21 international between France and Italy during the qualification campaign for the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

UEFA president Michel Platini said Domenech should provide evidence to back up his allegations or face sanctions. "UEFA have asked for an inquiry," Domenech said. "I'll go there willingly."

MASSIMO MARZOCCHI - sport.scotsman.com

Marco Materazzi Reveals All!

For the last year, we have been wondering what caused Zinedine Zidane to headbutt Italian Marco Materazzi in the final of the 2006 World Cup.

In a yet-to-be released autobiography, Materazzi said "I prefer the whore that is your sister" to Zizou, which lead to the infamous head-butt, which, many argue, caused France their second World Cup win in three tries.

Materazzi has appoligized to Zidane about the incident.

But this all come in the light of some recent remarks made by French skipper Raymond Domenech. In recent days, Domenech said that Materazzi should have been Man-of-the-Match for getting Zidane made enough to react, thus getting him sent off. While Demenech didn't directly attack Zidane, he did remark that the "the one who loses his control shows his weakness."