Grégory Coupet still hasn't digested it… While he was at the peak of his career in 2006, the former OL goalkeeper was barred from the French team by the legend Fabien Barthez. Although he was well aware that it would be difficult for him to take the number one place in “Fabulous Fab” for the World Cup in Germany, Coupet is angry with Raymond Domenech, the coach at the time.
Indeed, the former Dijon goalkeeper coach accused Domenech of having given privileges to Barthez, who did not always have a professional attitude. Which really annoyed him. “ The big difficulty is being behind a monument like Fabien. But behind it, the conductor (Domenech, editor's note) must organize a minimum, and impose that everyone is treated in the same way. From the moment this was not the case, it was complicated,” Coupet confided some time ago on RMC.
“Maybe he would admit that he indulged in some generosity”
“We would have to ask Fabien, perhaps he would admit that he allowed himself some generosity, he continued. (During the preparation) we climb to altitude, we sleep up there, then we go hiking at 6 a.m., and I learn that Fabien has a calf problem. There I say to myself: “Ah, maybe it’s my lucky star, that I will finally be able to play”. Then when we returned to the shelter, the women had to join us. There I learn that Fabien is downstairs with his wife and that he doesn't seem hurt at all… It's things like that. Behind, everyone must meet at the mountain restaurant, and Fabien is not there with his wife. So there you have it, Fabien does what he wants, there are no problems, but it is the conductor who must ensure that everyone is treated in the same way. »
Angry, Grégory Coupet even thought about leaving the Blues gathering on the sidelines of the start of the 2006 World Cup. He ultimately preferred to have a discussion with the coach before making a radical decision. “ When I came down from that high altitude restaurant, I exploded, he said. I went to Raymond's room, and I was really upset, so I think I scared him more than anything. I asked him who was best for him, and he ended up saying “you”. » But it was indeed Fabien Barthez who kept the French cage during the World Cup.
