Pires’ blistering attack on French coach
Pires is one of the few veterans of the 1998 World Cup-winning squad still involved with France - Lilian Thuram, Marcel Desailly, Bixente Lizarazu and Zinedine Zidane all quit after Euro 2004 while Chelsea’s Claude Makelele, not involved in the World Cup success, has also retired.
The Gunner, in this week’s issue of France Football, did not mince his words.
Pires was substituted during France’s 2-0 win over Cyprus in Nicosia and did not appreciate it.
“If the match had taken place at the Stade de France I would not have stayed (in the stadium). I would have walked out, vexed, annoyed, destabilised, anything you want.”
“When the coach said ‘Daniel (Moreira), you are replacing Robert,’ I could not believe it. It’s the first time in my career I have experienced something like this.”
However, Pires admitted: he was not at the top of his form, saying: “Physically I am not 100%. In terms of morale I am better. Even very good.”
He compared the coach Domenech, who replaced Jacques Santini after Euro 2004, unfavourably to Arsene Wenger, his boss at Arsenal, his Arsenal boss.
“In England I am lucky to have Arsene Wenger who knows me..., who knows where to place me and the others with the best possible chance of success. Between us there is a total confidence which does not exist elsewhere. With the national team, that’s not the case yet.”
Referring to Domenech, the Arsenal player said: “Nothing in his attitude leads me to believe he has confidence in me.
“It’s like being at school, being 20 and just starting out as a footballer.
“We need Domenech to give us freedom because he gets on our nerves with his attitudes, his words, his remarks.
“There is turbulence between him and myself. He annoys me. In return, I suppose I annoy him.”
Pires, as a young footballer, worked with Domenech with the French youth team.
He said: “I am absolutely not in the mood to do that. I still dream of playing for Les Bleus. I want to go right to the end with this team. I am patient and above all I believe in myself.”
Meanwhile Arsene Wenger has promised his young charges they will be given the chance to extend Arsenal’s Carling Cup run against Everton next month.
The Gunners’ reward for their excellent victory at Manchester City on Wednesday night is a Highbury encounter with David Moyes’ high fliers in a fortnight.
With a place in the quarter-finals up for grabs, Wenger would have been forgiven for bringing at least two or three more experienced players to supplement a starting line-up that contained only two men over 21.
However, with his side continuing to contest for silverware on four fronts and with a home Champions League encounter with Panathinaikos looming next week, Wenger will resist that temptation, handing his promising youngsters a chance to supplement an already fine reputation.
“I will stick with that team in the Carling Cup for as long as I can,” he said. “At least for as long as we are in the Champions League.
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