Raymond Domenech forgets nothing. Coach of the French team from 2004 to 2010, he experienced the final of the 2006 World Cup lost on penalties, followed by a complicated Euro 2008 and a 2010 World Cup, with eliminations in the first rounds. Fifteen years after leaving the Blues bench, he looks back on these moments which marked his career in an interview given to the Gazzetta dello Sport.
Big loser of the Berlin World Cup against Italy, has Domenech really forgotten Zinédine Zidane's famous header on Marco Materazzi in overtime? The former coach seems to have moved on: “Knowing him, I knew it could happen, but sometimes I wonder why he behaved like that. But the injury to Vieira (replaced by Alou Diarra in the 56th) had more impact. It's in the past now. »
Two years later, France did not take its revenge on Italy. Worse, the Blues, defeated against the Azzurri (0-2), drew against Romania (0-0) and lost to the Netherlands (1-4) at Euro 2008. But Domenech puts things into perspective: “After a long review of the tournament, I was asked what I was going to do next. I replied that I was going to take advantage of the holidays to get married. I was spontaneous, but not everyone understands me. »
“I should have stopped”
Looking back on his mandate until the 2010 World Cup, marked by the Knysna episode, he recognizes his mistakes: “It was a failure in terms of organization, power and responsibility. We lacked individual and collective intelligence. I made mistakes in the composition of the team. I should have left Anelka or Gourcuff at home. »
Domenech also believes that he “should have stopped” after the victory against Italy (3-1) in September 2006 during the Euro qualifiers: “The important match was in Berlin, but we showed that even without Zidane we could beat the world champions. I should have stopped after this victory. But I hoped to win the European Championship. »
