SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: WORLD CUP 2010: France campaign descends into chaos after row between captain, Patrice Evra and fitness coach Robert Duverne

Record ID: 454600

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: WORLD CUP 2010: France campaign descends into chaos after row between captain, Patrice Evra and fitness coach Robert Duverne
  • Date: 22nd June 2010
  • Summary: KNYSNA, SOUTH AFRICA (JUNE 21, 2010) (REUTERS) FRANCE'S "FIELD OF DREAMS" TRAINING GROUND PLAYERS JOGGING ON PITCH COACH RAYMOND DOMENECH SPEAKING WITH OTHER TRAINING STAFF CAMERAMEN FRANCE CAPTAIN PATRICE EVRA JOGGING WITH OTHER PLAYERS CAMERAMEN PLAYERS GATHERING TOGETHER AT TRAINING GROUND FRANCE FITNESS COACH ROBERT DUVERNE, WHO WAS EMBROILED IN A ROW WITH EVRA THE DAY BEFORE, TRAINING PLAYERS EVRA RUNNING MORE OF DUVERNE TRAINING WITH PLAYERS DOMENECH TALKING WITH STAFF MORE OF PLAYERS WARMING UP ON TRAINING GROUND PLAYERS WALKING ACROSS GROUND EVRA TACKLING PLAYER DURING TRAINING FRANCE FORWARD THIERRY HENRY STRETCHING MORE OF PLAYERS DUVERNE GIVING INSTRUCTIONS TO PLAYERS
  • Embargoed: 7th July 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA3OL8EFZEQ4WBJA9AVXSN1PUQ9
  • Story Text: France's troubled soccer team trained on Monday (June 21) as their World Cup campaign descended into chaos following a row between captain Patrice Evra and fitness coach Robert Duverne, a boycott of a training session and the resignation of a senior team official.
    The controversy came on Sunday (June 20), a day after striker Nicolas Anelka was sent home for insulting coach Raymond Domenech at halftime in their 2-0 loss to Mexico. The defeat on Thursday (June 17) in Polokwane left France on the verge of an embarrassing group stage exit.
    The incidents were sparked by the players' decision to protest against the French Football Federation (FFF)'s decision to kick out Anelka and also by a nervousness among the players after their comments were leaked to the press.
    The furore has even prompted President Nicolas Sarkozy to step in, asking his sports minister Roselyne Bachelot to prolong her stay in South Africa to speak to the captain and coach on Monday (June 21).
    The French are regarded as one of the most powerful nations in world soccer, having won the World Cup as hosts in 1998 and finishing runners-up to Italy in 2006 when the event was last held in Germany.
    Their form latterly has been relatively poor, though, and they only qualified for the finals through a controversial goal against Ireland in a play-off after striker Thierry Henry had clearly handled the ball.
    Sunday's public session in Knysna, ironically on a pitch called Field of Dreams, was about to start when a furious row erupted between Evra and fitness coach Robert Duverne, leading to the immediate resignation of the team director.
    The training incidents came a day after Evra told reporters a "traitor" within the team had leaked Anelka's insults to the press.
    The players then walked toward their bus, carrying their slogan reading: "All together toward a new blue dream."
    France still planned to play their final Group A game against South Africa on Tuesday (June 22) in Bloemfontein, the players said.
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