Email
Print
Digg This
PARIS, Sept 30 (Reuters) - France coach Raymond Domenech does not protect his players and is responsible for a bad atmosphere in the team, goalkeeper Gregory Coupet said in an interview released on Tuesday.
"People aren't happy in the France team", Coupet, who has not played for France since their group stage exit from Euro 2008, told France Football magazine.
The 35-year-old former Olympique Lyon keeper, now with Atletico Madrid, also made it clear his international career was over. "I'm done with Les Bleus," he said.
Domenech, Coupet added, was a manipulator who failed to make the most of a team blessed with talent.
"Domenech plays with people but if you keep doing that, you stumble in the end," said Coupet. "It's ever so sad because there is an amazing quality in that group and it's all being wasted."
The abrasive France coach, who kept his job despite the Euro 2008 fiasco, should have taken responsibility for the team's failure, Coupet suggested.
"They sacked the doctor and the media guy," Coupet said. "We were crap at Euro and that would be because of the doctor and the guy responsible for the media. That's shameful."
LET DOWN
Coupet said Domenech, who has had a difficult relationship with some of his players and the media, did not stand by his players.
"He's got a pair on the left, (Eric) Abidal and (Florent) Malouda, who are among the best in the world and instead of doing everything to protect them, he makes them doubt," Coupet said.
"Same for (defender Philippe) Mexes. He's so brilliant in Italy with Roma and not at ease with France. There has to be a problem and that's (a lack of) confidence. There are many other examples."
Coupet, who was in the shadow of Fabien Barthez for years, has won 37 caps for France and has been replaced as the national team's number one by Olympique Marseille's Steve Mandanda, with Lyon's Hugo Lloris now the number two.
"We're all ever so happy for Steve," Coupet said. "He deserves it and so does Hugo.
"They're so much more gifted than I am and so impressive for their age," he said. "But, once again, they need to be protected."
