Under Domenech, the 1998 World Cup champions still a shadow of their former selves

Domenech holds back France

PARIS — When a coach trots out the usual tired claims of how exceptionally his players performed despite being held to a stalemate, you know he’s in trouble. Positive spin only goes so far.

So it is with France’s Raymond Domenech, still clinging to his job despite his side’s failure — again — to make the most of its considerable individual talents and outclass opponents that should, on paper at least, be easily within their grasp.

Domenech, luckily for him, had a tailor-made excuse in France’s World Cup qualifier against Serbia on Wednesday night. The Italian referee sent off his goalkeeper after just 10 minutes of football. That handicap let this perplexing, at times infuriating, coach and his underachievers off the hook. Playing for 80 minutes with 10 men against 11 and still securing a 1-1 draw, that’s almost like a win, right?

“This match was exceptional,” Domenech said. “All the ingredients were there. The play, the technical skills, the motivation. Nobody was frightened. We have to congratulate the players.”

Well, Raymond, no. Not really.

No matter how he cuts it, the 1998 World Cup champions are still a long way from even looking like they might repeat that feat next year in South Africa.

In fact, it’s still not even clear that they’ll get there. With Serbia needing a maximum of just three points from its last two games to secure the direct qualification spot in their group, France will most likely have to squeeze in to the World Cup through the playoffs — a route fraught with risk for a side that finds the net with great difficulty, despite having some of Europe’s best forwards. In eight games, France has scored just 10 goals.

France’s frailties are of heart, of leadership and in key posts. Arsenal’s William Gallas, for instance, still doesn’t have a consistent partner in the French defense.

But, most of all, the problem seems to lie with Domenech. After 68 games in charge, it’s still not really clear why he is France’s coach. He seems to have a reverse Midas touch: golden players at his disposal, such as Real Madrid’s new striker Karim Benzema, turn to lead in his hands.

True, coaches always make easy targets when things go wrong. But Domenech does himself no favors with his strange tactical choices and his self-aggrandizement — a habit he demonstrated again Wednesday by declaring live on French television that supporters had sent him 200 mobile phone text messages after his methods and leadership were again questioned this week.

Whereas Fabio Capello has remolded England into a winning side by filling his players with self-belief and with his thunderous intensity from the touchline, Domenech often seems devoid of ideas and out of his depth.

But Domenech is not solely responsible for France’s woes.

In Belgrade’s torrid, sold-out Red Star stadium, France finally showed real passion when reduced to 10 men. Which begs the question of why it does not display it more often. It’s interesting that the emotion which makes the French world famous as romantics has been so lacking of late from their football.

Not for a long time has Nicolas Anelka played with such ferocious determination in a blue shirt that wasn’t Chelsea’s. Too often, Anelka deigns to unfurl his attacking talents for France only when the mood takes him. But in Belgrade, Anelka boiled.

Real midfielder Lassana Diarra was impressive, too. Captain Thierry Henry led by example after referee Roberto Rosetti sent off Hugo Lloris for bringing down lanky striker Nikola Zigic. Nenad Milijas expertly struck the penalty. But even one man and a goal down, France was the more dangerous side.

Anelka’s shot from 25 yards set up Henry’s equalizer. Anelka duped defender Nemanja Vidic, usually so imperious for Manchester United, by bobbing left then right to earn a yard of space.

Serbian ‘keeper Vladimir Stojkovic scooped up but failed to hold the well-struck ball. Stojkovic is without club this season after Sporting Lisbon released him. The rust showed. Henry’s predatory instincts, ever sharp, did the rest. With a right-footed poke, France’s record scorer poached his 50th international goal. That lifted him above Bobby Charlton — who got 49 for England — on international football’s roll of honor of most prolific scorers — headed by Iran’s Ali Daei, who scored 109.

Henry tightly hugged Domenech after the match — as if to dismiss French media reports of a bust-up between them last week.

A flash of spirit in Belgrade does not mean France has turned a corner, although if it plays with such passion, then perhaps Henry and his teammates do deserve a place in South Africa, after all. Whether Domenech does is another question.

John Leicester is an international sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jleicester at ap.org.