Raymond Domenech is back in the game at Nantes. Enjoy the ride

11-Jan-2021 11:55:42 | The Guardian

A rusty and eccentric manager working for an explosive president and irate fans. What could possibly go wrong?

By Adam White and Eric Devin for Get French Football News

“Will you marry me?” asked Raymond Domenech. A proposal is usually a joyous moment, but Domenech’s carried little romance for the French public. Having failed to break down a stubborn Romania team, been routed 4-1 by the Netherlands and finally beaten by Italy, Domenech’s team had just finished bottom of their group at Euro 2008. Following a solemn post-match interview, live on French television, Domenech cringingly turned to the camera and proposed to his girlfriend, the journalist Estelle Denis. It summed up Domenech: jovial but somewhat bumbling with a knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. After a decade in the coaching wilderness, Domenech is now back in Ligue 1. Has he finally picked the right moment?

Domenech has not held a managerial role since he left the national team in 2010 – and his last club job was with Lyon in 1993 – so his return with a struggling Nantes team is a shock. The infamous player strike in support of Nicolas Anelka during the 2010 World Cup led to Domenech bizarrely reading a squad statement to the press, denouncing Anelka, the authorities and the squad for refusing to leave the team bus. After a disastrous exit, Domenech’s career appeared ruined.

France

Raymond Domenech is back in the game at Nantes. Enjoy the ride