French press dismiss Domenech’s ‘work in progress’ excuse

The French media were very much impressed by the Irish performance on Saturday, but were a little harsher in assessing their fellow countrymen. Hugh Delaney reports.

FRENCH newspapers were quick to concede that Ireland could and should have won Saturday’s match with Ireland, with both L’Equipe and Le Figaro newspapers also dwelling on the important part played by the considerable Irish travelling support.

“The Irish national anthem, sung by the evening’s 30,000 visitors, set the tone in the stands for the rest of the match,” commented Le Figaro.

L’Equipe was a little bewildered by the green army singing an old Doris Day number from the 1950s, Que Sera Sera. The newspaper didn’t realise that the Irish had changed the final lines to: “We’re going to Germany, que sera sera” mistaking Irish confidence for a defeatist acceptance of destiny’s influence over the team’s fortunes.

The apparently positive reaction of some of the French players after the match was not shared by either L’Equipe or Le Figaro.

French coach Raymond Domenech was upbeat after the match, claiming: “The team is under construction, and tonight we saw some good periods of play as well as difficult passages. The players showed a bit more than against Israel.”

Thierry Henry was also positive: “The team showed a real desire in the second half. The midfield played much better,” said the Arsenal man, while Barthez was quoted by Le Figaro as saying: “I saw nice phases of play. The lads were present in the duels and began to get going,” to which Le Figaro suggests that the Marseille goalkeeper has “a selective memory and prefers to remember the good passages of play.”

L’Equipe complained that the team didn’t actually start playing until the 35th minute and were matched and outshone by the visitors throughout the game.

“After the half-time break, Ireland dominated France in terms of chances created and duels won, proving straight away that the kick and rush style had been left in the museum, replaced by a lively and coherent 4-4-2 formation,” wrote L’Equipe, adding that it was too much for a French team that was imitating in style its poor performance against Israel last month.

Le Figaro was equally harsh on the French team, stating that Ireland had dominated for two thirds of the match.

“The Irish, through John O’Shea near the end of the match, could have won the bet, and it wouldn’t have been scandalous.

“The French seemed awkward for so long, notably in the middle of the defensive area, which had no response.”

Picked out for special criticism by the press was midfielder Rio Mavuba, who Le Figaro said had a “dreadful evening”, while L’Equipe complained that the French threat in the second half was more or less restricted to long shots and crosses put over by William Gallas, which were “mastered by the Irish kings in the air.”

L’Equipe suggested that the Irish team would be unhappy with a point in Paris:

“It is probable that Brian Kerr, the Irish manager, has more regrets than his French counterpart over the final score. Without Barthez, the Irish would have had good reason to empty all the kegs of beer in the capital this weekend in an unforgettable moment of happiness.”

Maybe, but as Domenech said afterwards, it’s early days yet.