Football: Domenech hits out at Ribery, Nasri

Former France coach branded Ribery a ‘diva’,Samir Nasri a ‘symbol of selfishness’, Anelka ‘killed the group’.

PARIS: Former France coach Raymond Domenech, who led Les Bleus during their 2010 World Cup fiasco, has branded Franck Ribery a ‘diva’, Samir Nasri a ‘symbol of selfishness’ and said Nicolas Anelka ‘killed the group’. In his memoirs ‘Tout Seul’ (All by Myself) to be published today, based on the diary he kept during his six-year spell as France coach from 2004 to 2010, Domenech assumes little responsibility for the World Cup debacle. France players refused to take part in training to support Anelka at the World Cup in South Africa after the former Chelsea forward was dismissed from the squad for verbally abusing Domenech at halftime in the 2-0 group stage loss to Mexico. “He killed the group,” said Domenech of Anelka. “(And Ribery) was prone to take offence at everything”.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 21^st, 2012.