Well, we knew that it was going to be difficult for either France or South Africa to qualify. Their fate was out of their hands, and it was all down to the final result in the other game between Uruguay and Mexico. If that game played out to a draw, then neither France nor South Africa stood a chance. But if, and only if, either France or SA could get a win with a significant number of goals, to better Mexico's goal difference, then either one of the two sides would be through.
For France, well let's just say it was quite an eventful weekend for them, coming into yesterday's game. To be honest it's been quite an eventful tournament for them, just not where it matters most i.e. the pitch. Controversy off the pitch has shrouded the French team since they arrived in SA and hasn't done them any favours, after they could only pick up one point out of 6 before the clash with the hosts. Before, we go on about the game any further, I think it wise to sidetrack ourselves with this whole French fiasco, because it clearly took over all the preparations leading up to this vital game.
So Anelka got sent home because of a foul-mouthed tirade launched against the boss, in their game against Mexico at half time. This was why he was substituted apparently. But, according to the French camp and Domenech, it wasn't as bad as it has been made out to be, it wouldn't have gotten as out of hand as it did had Anelka just apologised and it wouldn't have been blown up out of proportion as it did, had the media not got wind of it. Sometimes, I think that the media, have a lot to account for. Apparently, there is someone in the French camp, that is a "traitor" - a "mole" who has been leaking the private goings-on, like this whole Anelka thing, to the press, who have taken it and squeezed out every last bit of juicy gossip they could. Surely, the media from one's own country, should be respecting their team and giving them the opportunity to advance as much as it can in the competition, without the added stress and pressure of private, internal affairs being laid out for all and sundry to see. Yes there's freedom of speech, but when it will damage a team, that has been preparing for the final matches, and are about to go into a game, which they need to win, surely this bit of juicy gossip can wait?
Had it not been for the media exploding on to the scene, Anelka might not have actually been sent home. He might have been "rested" against SA, but the French team may have wanted to keep the whole story under wraps, until they were back home. That wouldn't have resulted in the player's boycott of their training session, which in my opinion, was not only selfish but thoughtless too. I mean, they are about to play in their last game in the World Cup, they still have a chance to qualify, it might be small, but it's a chance nonetheless, and yet the players are acting as though they have already been dumped out of the competition and have seemed to have forgotten, that they are there for their nation, not for themselves.
The fact that Raymond Domenech could not talk them out of their "mutiny" and force them to train, probably highlights his relation to the team, the lack of respect and his own inabilities to control and "manage" the side. The players, from the way they were acting, seem to have their own way of managing the team, and whilst trying to make a point, inadvertently succeeded in not only displaying the magnanimous cracks within the team, but also in alienating their own fans and supporters, who according to the papers, were disgusted with their team's pathetic and "child-like" behaviour. The fight that Evra had with the fitness trainer and then the FFF's vice-president's resignation just typifies what many supporters see as the big-headedness of the French team. They see the players as largely overpaid buffoons who have no respect for the management, and who have no desire, ambition or passion to be playing in this world cup.
I, like many, don't understand what was going through the player's head at the time. Yes, they wanted to show solidarity, but ironically reports began to emerge of some players not happy with the boycott, and again, of the players and the coach being on two different planets and heading in completely opposite directions. Surely, the players should have put aside their differences, in place of the national interest and fought for their pride. They are supposed to be professionals after all and they had one shot still left to go through...it wasn't an impossible feat by any means. Even though they resumed training the following day, the cracks in the French team weren't going away, and surely the whole debacle of the previous days, would have remained in the player's minds and effected their mentality coming into the final game. Psychologically, they would have been ready to give up and just go home, before the game even got underway against Bafana Bafana.
The South Africans, on the other hand, would have been relishing the prospect of capitalising on a weakened French side, and making their supporters proud, by trying to get through to the last 16 stage. The stadium in Bloemfontein was packed to the rafters with swarms of yellow and green supporters, keeping an eager eye on the other match, which was happening at the same time. Bafana Bafana were a sharp contrast to their French counterparts in the tunnel - singing, dancing and generally enjoying the buzz from the crowd as they prepared to do battle. The French, on the other hand, were a largely changed side, from the ones we had seen on the two previous occasions, with plenty of new faces coming in. You wouldn't be surprised to hear that it wasn't down to injury worries or suspensions or anything else, but down to the events that had dominated the French preparations beforehand.
Evra, Henry, Malouda, Abidal and Govou all found themselves a place on the bench. In their place, on came, Clichy, Squillaci, Cisse and captain for the day, Alou Diarra. It was a controversial decision to leave their best players on the pitch - I didn't understand it. I mean I know what has gone on, but when you still have a chance, why would you make it harder for yourself? It was almost as though Domenech had forgotten his side did still have a chance. He probably thought it would be easier for him to manage the players on the pitch, than those watching from the bench. A further example of his ineffective managing abilities perhaps?
South Africa had to replace their keeper after Khune was sent off in the game against Uruguay, and also made some changes to their squad, determined to end the group stages on a high. And it took them just 20 minutes to take advantage of some poor keeping by Hugo Lloris, when a corner was swept in from his left. He swung at air rather than at the ball, allowing Khumalo a free shot at goal. He didn't need asking twice and suddenly the South African supporters were bellowing down their vuvuzelas sensing an upset could be on the cards here. With the other game still on level terms though, the South Africans were praying for some help from Uruguay.
However, they tried to make things as easy as possible for themselves by doubling their advantage, just before half time. For the French on the other hand, as if things couldn't get any worse, they did when Yoann Gourcuff was sent off for what looked like a high elbow in the box. It was a really harsh decision by the referee, but pretty much summed up a dismal tournament for the French where nothing has gone right for them. South Africa's goal came as a result of some poor defending, when the French lost the ball in their own area, giving Mphela the chance to bundle it home. South Africa were 2-0 up, the vuvuzelas had a life of their own, and the crowd began to believe that qualification was within touching distance. Add to that the fact that Suarez had just scored for Uruguay, against Mexico and things were looking decidedly more rosy for the hosts. They just needed a few more goals, or to hope that Uruguay scored one or two more...
Except it was France that finally got their first goal of the tournament, pretty much ending Bafana Bafana's hopes. South Africa's Mphela had several chances in front of goal, but they were saved well by Lloris. Mphela's closest chance came soon after the restart, when he just clipped the post and missed. It was a largely frustrating second half for the fans and the team and as the second half wore on Bafana Bafana became more and more desperate, shooting from range and not really getting anywhere. With elimination looming, Domenech sent on Malouda for Gignac, and finally gave Henry some playing time...not that it came to much. France were easily able to go forward whilst SA did the same at the other end, exploiting SA's weak defence, to score a goal, that came far too late to be of any relevance. It was an easy goal for Malouda to score in the end, after some good play by Sagna and Ribery and it was the only thing able to completely silence the vuvuzelas.
France were able to see out the game without conceding any more and they, along with the hosts, were subsequently ousted from the competition. So then came the end of Domenech's era as manager of the French side and instead of bowing out gracefully, he was keen to end it on one last controversial moment, by refusing to shake the hands of SA coach Parreira. Domenech spent 5 minutes trying to explain why he didn't want to shake it with all cameras pointed at him, when it would have been easier for him to have spent half a second just shaking the man's hand and being a gracious loser. It kind of summed up everything about this French team in a way. In this tournament, we saw the good, the bad and the ugly. The good thing about them? Well, they made everyone else look much better. The bad: well that was their football on the pitch...and the ugly? Well, I think that one's pretty obvious. It will no doubt be remembered as a shameful era in French football and one which French fans will want to wipe from their memories as soon as possible. Everyone knows that in football, it is often the failures that you're remembered for, not the successes and Domenech, who took the team to the finals in 2006, will probably be remembered for everything that went wrong in this illustrious crop of world class footballers.
It's a sad time for French football...
But for the Irish, well, they will see it as karma and will be bending over backwards laughing at this French "team" that cheated the Irish to get to the finals...and self-destructed when they got there...
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