France suspends Cup squad
Source: Agencies |
July 24, 2010, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
THE 23 members of France's World Cup squad have been suspended for the country's next game, the French Football Federation said yesterday.
The decision was taken during a meeting of the FFF's Federal council on the recommendation of new coach Laurent Blanc following the country's World Cup debacle, a statement said. France's next international is a friendly against Norway in Oslo on August 11.
The country's World Cup campaign in South Africa was a total failure as France was ousted in the first round without a win. Its exit followed a players' boycott of a training session in support of striker Nicolas Anelka, who was sent home for insulting coach Raymond Domenech.
France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris criticized the squad for being "totally stupid" for going on strike.
"Going on strike was the decision of a group that felt isolated, that felt no one had protected it, and that wanted to get a message across," Lloris told sports daily L'Equipe.
"We went way too far. It was a clumsy decision, a big mistake. It was totally stupid.
"We acted more like a team in the bus than on the pitch," the 23-year-old Lloris said.
Meanwhile, France forward Franck Ribery, placed under judicial investigation by French authorities this week on suspicion of soliciting sex with an under-age prostitute, is depressed but not worried about his career.
"There are moments in life that are stressful and depressing. This is definitely one of those moments," the Bayern Munich playmaker told the Bild newspaper yesterday.
But he added: "No, I'm not worried for my future or my career, neither in the national team nor with Bayern. I'm convinced I'll win back the trust of people who maybe doubt me at the moment.
"I must get past this low point. I'm a player who is very much in the public eye, about whom everything gets reported and who everyone knows.
"I must live with that."
The decision was taken during a meeting of the FFF's Federal council on the recommendation of new coach Laurent Blanc following the country's World Cup debacle, a statement said. France's next international is a friendly against Norway in Oslo on August 11.
The country's World Cup campaign in South Africa was a total failure as France was ousted in the first round without a win. Its exit followed a players' boycott of a training session in support of striker Nicolas Anelka, who was sent home for insulting coach Raymond Domenech.
France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris criticized the squad for being "totally stupid" for going on strike.
"Going on strike was the decision of a group that felt isolated, that felt no one had protected it, and that wanted to get a message across," Lloris told sports daily L'Equipe.
"We went way too far. It was a clumsy decision, a big mistake. It was totally stupid.
"We acted more like a team in the bus than on the pitch," the 23-year-old Lloris said.
Meanwhile, France forward Franck Ribery, placed under judicial investigation by French authorities this week on suspicion of soliciting sex with an under-age prostitute, is depressed but not worried about his career.
"There are moments in life that are stressful and depressing. This is definitely one of those moments," the Bayern Munich playmaker told the Bild newspaper yesterday.
But he added: "No, I'm not worried for my future or my career, neither in the national team nor with Bayern. I'm convinced I'll win back the trust of people who maybe doubt me at the moment.
"I must get past this low point. I'm a player who is very much in the public eye, about whom everything gets reported and who everyone knows.
"I must live with that."
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