"Bankrupt"
The terrible spectacle of the French team falling apart in front of the whole world continues. Yesterday, the bus of the French team arrived at their training ground in South Africa. Hundreds of fans and a handful of reporters were there to watch them train, and they got off the bus to cheers. They waved to fans and came over to shake hands.
But a few seconds later, everything deteriorated. You can see it in real-time here (look for the video "Quand les Bleus se mettent en grève" [When the Bleus go on strike]). As the fans and journalists watch, the Bleus' captain, Patrice Evra, speaks to their trainer, Duverne, and then walks away from Duverne, who protests vehemently and then says, "Putain!" in disbelief. The Bleus go back to the bus and get on it. The French Football Federation's delegate walks rapidly away from the group of Bleus over to his car, pursued by journalists asking, "Monsieur Valentin, what's happening?"
"I'm going back to Paris!" he yells. "I have nothing more to do here. Ask them, they'll tell you!" Then "I consider what is happening this afternoon is a scandal. A scandal for the French. A scandal for the young people who are here. A scandal for the Federation and for the French team." As he gets in his car, at the edge of tears, he says, "Everyone may assume his own responsibility. I've assumed mine, for what concerns me. They don't want to train. It's unacceptable.... Ask them. I am not their spokesman. I am quitting the Federation. I am quitting my posts. I am utterly disheartened and disgusted."
Then the most surreal thing happens. The French trainer Domenech himself reads the unanimous statement of the Bleus that they don't want to train because Anelka was dismissed for insulting Domenech! Whatever you think of the French trainer, this is a lamentable spectacle and shows a French team of spoiled, immature and breathtakingly self-centered young men that is now the disgrace of the World Cup.
The Irish are happy, though!
Update, 21 June 2010
The French team lost to South Africa, 1-2. In a poll of 7200 visitors to their website, the French television station France 2 found that 75% wanted this team to lose.
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