Domenech looking for a little love

Richard Jolly

• Last Updated: November 13. 2009 10:46PM UAE / November 13. 2009 6:46PM GMT

Some things just do not travel. For the best part of a decade Everybody Loves Raymond was one of America’s most popular sitcoms.

It was syndicated around the world, without being aired in one particular European country.

That’s not surprising. Everybody Loves Raymond? Not in France they do not. Raymond Domenech, the beleaguered manager of the national football team, attracts widespread derision.

The closest he came to the sympathy vote was a single released by former actress Catherine Ringer entitled Je Kiffe Raymond (I Fancy Raymond). It was hardly the right sort of vote of confidence.

Aside from a few backers at the French FA, Domenech has enemies from the Champs Elysees to the Emerald Isle. He was jeered at the Paris Masters tennis tournament on Monday while, after Domenech described Ireland, who host France in the first leg of a World Cup play-off tonight, as “England B”, the Republic’s defender Richard Dunne produced a withering response this week.

“They have all these world-class talents and then a man who seems intent on messing them up,” he said.

Few managers who have reached a World Cup final generate such damning comments. But then the consensus is that, in five years at the helm, Domenech’s major gift has been for survival.

His triumphs have belonged to others: first qualification for, and then surprise success in, the 2006 World Cup, was attributed to Zinedine Zidane, Claude Makelele and Lilian Thuram, who returned from international retirement to, some would say, stage a coup and run the side.

Without them, France were abject in Euro 2008; each of their three qualifying campaigns have proved unconvincing. They lost home and away to Scotland in the previous one and were beaten by Austria last year.

It should all serve to encourage Ireland. Domenech’s quirks – a distrust of Scorpios strangely among them – and his troubled relationship with his players (Karim Benzema admitted he did not feel like playing in the match against Serbia earlier this season) do not give the impression of a united camp.

The advantage Domenech possesses, and has always had, is in the players at his disposal. Even without the injured Franck Ribery and the omitted David Trezeguet, he can pick from Benzema, Thierry Henry and Nicolas Anelka in attack.

Yet, even with that enviable array of strikers, France only managed 10 goals in their first eight qualifiers. Potential has not been realised. Two months ago, Henry was reported to have said France had “no style, no guidance and no identity”.

The Barcelona striker denied saying those words yet the criticisms, like many of Domenech, resonated nonetheless. Given the ability in their ranks, France have underachieved. Possessing first-choice forwards at three of Europe’s premier clubs and yet struggling to score is one indication – and a reason why Toulouse’s Andre-Pierre Gignac threatens to displace Benzema as the side’s spearhead – but a glance at tonight’s team sheets should only provide one winner.

Giovanni Trapattoni fields a converted midfielder, in Kevin Kilbane, at left-back; Domenech, even with Gael Clichy sidelined, can pick from three of the world’s finest in Eric Abidal, Patrice Evra and Aly Cissokho.

In midfield, for instance, France can call upon one of Europe’s most coveted playmakers, Yohan Gourcuff, and Real Madrid’s Lassana Diarra to take on Stoke City’s Glenn Whelan and Blackburn Rovers’ Keith Andrews. It should be no contest, yet such astute judges as Arsene Wenger believe it will be too close to call, while Sir Alex Ferguson has gone a step further and tipped the Irish.

The inferences are clear: Ireland could win the game from the dugout. With the midfielder Jeremy Toulalan a doubt, Domenech’s decisions will be scrutinised still more than usual.

One bad call could end his reign, but predictions of Domenech’s demise have been commonplace. He had one reprieve, courtesy of Zidane and co, in 2006; another from the FA in 2008. Lose over the next four days and there will surely be no third stay of execution for the eternally unloved Raymond.

rjolly@thenational.ae