World Cup: Quelle Horreur! France Completely Unravels!!!!!

Anelka was kicked off the team for a profanity-laced tirade against coach Raymond Domenech, whose tactics and management skills have been called into question.

"The French Football Federation did not at any time try to protect the group. They took a decision uniquely based on facts reported by the press," Domenech said, reading a statement on behalf of the players. 
"As a consequence and to show our opposition to the decision taken by officials of the federation, all the players decided not to take part in today's training session."

The latest chaotic scene also led to the resignation of France team director Jean-Louis Valentin.
"It's a scandal for the French, for the young people here. It's a scandal for the federation and the French team," Valentin said. "They don't want to train. It's unacceptable.
"As for me, it's over. I'm leaving the federation. I'm sickened and disgusted," said Valentin, who walked away from the training field, got into a car and drove off.

Valentin tells reporters what has transpired

The team arrived at training as usual Sunday and got off the bus to greet fans, but Domenech and France captain Patrice Evra stayed on the bus longer to talk.
When Domenech and Evra finally disembarked, fitness coach Robert Duverne was on the field putting down training cones. Evra then got into an argument with Duverne and Domenech walked over to intervene. Duverne then stormed off, throwing his accreditation badge to the ground.
Evra then handed a letter to the press officer, and the players, en masse, boarded the team bus and drew the curtains. The bus has yet to leave the area.
About 200 fans soon started walking away.
France drew 0-0 with Uruguay and then lost 2-0 to Mexico in their opening World Cup matches. But they can still advance to the knockout stages with a win over host South Africa, as long as Uruguay and Mexico don't draw in the other Group A match. [end story]

I AM SO CONFUSED!!!  Yesterday Anelka admits that he said something but, "it should have stayed inside the dressing room."  Patrice Evra says that there is "a mole who has leaked this information to the press and we must find out who it is."
But now the French team has refused to train "because the FFF got rid of Anelka based on information from the press."
?????????????????
It was reported yesterday that Evra was in on the meeting when they decided to send Anelka home.  Why didn't he speak up then?
It sounds to me like the French team aren't mature enough to handle the pressure of the World Cup and should all just get off the bus, get on a plane, and put this ridiculousness to an end.
Alexei Lalas of ESPN said, "why don't they just send Domench home and bring Laurent Blanc in now."

DIDN'T I SAY THAT YESTERDAY? THAT LAURENT BLANC SHOULD HAVE BEEN BROUGHT IN FOR THE ENTIRE WORLD CUP INSTEAD OF DOMENECH?

Erik Bielderman of L'Equipe was interviewed on ESPN and he said, "the players have tried to wrest control from Domenech; he is not in charge at all.  Players like Nicolas Anelka and Franck Ribery were telling Domenech who to play and what strategy to use."  If that is the case (and I imagine it is because Anelka is a documented prick referred to as "le sulk" by his countrymen) then it only supports my theory that they should have dropped Domenech before the World Cup when they had already announced that Laurent Blanc would be taking over.  In my mind that's when these prima donnas like Anelka, Ribery, Gallas, and company hatched their plot to "storm the Bastille" and create sort of a footy coup.  It's disgraceful.

Bielderman, when asked what the French should do about their third and final match, replied, "Domenech has to have only positive people on the bench so he should drop Ribery and Gallas."

I would really like to know what the bust-up between Evra and Duverne was all about.  I've seen the video and Duverne had to be restrained by Domenech.  My guess is Evra was telling the trainer that the team had decided not to train and he blew a gasket.  And rightfully so.  "We didn't get our way so we aren't going to train."

Trainer Robert Duverne (R) is held back by coach Raymond Domenech (C) from captain Patrice Evra

Evra returns to the tell the team what happened.  They then returned to the bus, closed the curtains and remained there.

The headline in L'Equipe said,

La Rebellion des Joueurs

I FEEL SO BADLY FOR IRELAND.  Yes, they are probably reveling in this French Farce, but you have to think how embarrassing it is that this French band of idiots took the place of a team who really wanted to play in the World Cup.  I can't imagine the Irish would be acting in this manner, can you?

I wouldn't want to be Laurent Blanc for anything right now.  I see Laurent contacting his agent and telling him to shop his skills around the EPL.  Would you blame him?