The root of France's problems: hatred of Yoann Gourcuff
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After weeks of rumors and a stupendous crash and burn effort in their short World Cup stay, it seems France's problems can be drilled down to the rampant jealousy and ill-will for one man -- Yoann Gourcuff.
Through no fault of his own, the 23-year-old former Ligue 1 player of the year and French Player of the Year, apparently became the main source of division within the squad that would spiral completely out of control in just a matter of days. Senior members of the team like Nicolas Anelka, Franck Ribery, Eric Abidal and William Gallas, who grew up much less well-off than the son of French club Lorient's manager, tried to make Yoann an outcast and destroyed their team in the process. The, ahem, Irish Times explains:
It is no coincidence these are the players who have frozen Gourcuff out in South Africa. They resent the way the French press builds Gourcuff up as Zinedine Zidane’s successor. They envy the positive attention he receives from the media. They regard him as arrogant and pretentious because he reads books and expresses himself eloquently when analysing a game.
Raymond Domenech wanted to build his attack around the 2008/09 French Player of the Year, but several senior players objected, pressurising the coach to restore Henry or Florent Malouda to the line-up. In the opening game against Uruguay, Anelka and Ribery made their stance abundantly clear by refusing to pass to Gourcuff. [...]
Yet Domenech did not feel he had the authority to sanction them, and instead dropped Gourcuff for the second game against Mexico.
Reports of Anelka and Ribery refusing to pass to Gourcuff first leaked out after that match against Uruguay but seemed far too unbelievable to give any thought. What top professionals would sabotage themselves by letting petty infighting and jealousies get it in the way of who they pass to on the pitch? Of course, these rational thoughts came before training sessions were boycotted and traitors were accused.
So when you shake your head and wag your finger or unleash a hearty laugh in the direction of this French team, be sure aim away from Yoann Gourcuff. Even though his red card in their final match against South Africa failed to help an already doomed cause.
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Saw him play. Crap player imo.
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morbid hatred as a result of jealousy? these players zzzzzzzzz.......
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the root cause is their own stupidity and lack of skill and concentration
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it takes two hands to clap!
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Senior jealous of junior
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at least the french destroyed themselves,they could still have a chance.Look at england,kenna bomb by germany.The didn't know what hit them!