Domenech stays on as France coach

03/07/2008 16:23

By Bertrand Boucey

PARIS (Reuters) - Raymond Domenech will remain France coach despite the team’s group stage elimination from Euro 2008, French Football Federation (FFF) president Jean-Pierre Escalettes told a news conference on Thursday.

Domenech stays "with a new definition of the conditions of his duty and of selection matters," Escalettes said.

The 56-year-old Domenech came under heavy criticism after France were eliminated from the European Championship with just one point and one goal from three group matches.

Domenech has had a difficult relationship with some players and the media. Opinion polls released over the past few days showed a majority of French people wanted him to leave.

After hearing the coach’s explanations, however, 18 of the 19 FFF council’s voters ruled he should stay on under certain conditions.

Domenech will now concentrate on sporting matters and a general secretary, to be appointed in the next few weeks, will deal with the logistics, the FFF said in a statement.

Changes will also be made to the technical staff, the ruling body added, suggesting some of Domenech’s assistants could be replaced.

"RESOUNDING FAILURE"

"We have to admit that Euro 2008 was a resounding failure that hurt the team’s image," Escalettes said.

"Raymond .....continued below

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Domenech needs to get results and he also needs to show that the team’s attitude has changed," he added.

The former world and European champions, who put on dismal performances at Euro 2008, are often perceived as distant and somewhat arrogant by their fans.

Captain Patrick Vieira, playmaker Franck Ribery and all-time great Michel Platini, now the UEFA president, had all said Domenech should remain in charge.

Others, starting with several members of France’s 1998 World Cup-winning team, among them Zinedine Zidane, had spoken out in favour of former France captain Didier Deschamps.

Domenech, who took over in the wake of France’s quarter-final exit from Euro 20O4 and guided the team to the 2006 World Cup final, has a contract until the 2010 World Cup finals.

The coach, who failed to find the right mix between ageing stalwarts and untested newcomers at Euro 2008, was also criticised for keeping midfielder Vieira in his squad despite a thigh injury that meant the captain did not play at all.

(Writing by Patrick Vignal, editing by Miles Evans and Padraic Halpin)

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