Former coach of the France team, Raymond Domenech recounted the first time he called on Bafetimbi Gomis.
Before being the (very) brief coach of FC Nantes, Raymond Domenech held the position of coach of the France team (2004-2010). Two years after reaching and losing the final of the 2006 World Cup, he chose to bring some new blood to the French attack. For this, he chose to call on a player who was thriving at the time, Bafétimbi Gomis. The former companion of Estelle Denis told an anecdote about the first selection of the new French retiree.
Today consultant for the channel The TeamRaymond Domenech was on the air Sunday evening after the derby between Olympique Lyonnais and AS Saint-Étienne (1-0, 11th day of Ligue 1). He took the opportunity to mention a Bafétimbi Gomis present in the stands of Groupama Stadium. The story takes place shortly before May 27, 2008, the date of this famous first selection of the player during a friendly match against Ecuador during which he scored twice. “I cursed him that day. I planned to take it before the match for the list (for Euro 2008, editor's note). And since he scored two goals, everyone said that I took him because he scored two goals. » Disgusted by these reactions, and perhaps also offended, Raymond Domenech then reflected.
Domenech hesitated in front of journalists
At the time in an almost permanent war with the media, Raymond Domenech almost changed his mind regarding Bafétimbi Gomis, just to contradict the journalists. “I was taken by it. I almost left it saying that it's not the journalists who decide who I take. » Time has passed, but the former coach has not forgotten the many qualities of the “Panther”. “He's a really nice, pleasant person, but on the pitch he was a real scorer, a real fighter. And what's more, he was someone who served others. He was just there to catch the light. He was really at the service of a team and he left very good memories in the French team, in Lyon or in Saint-Étienne. Everywhere he went. »
Bafétimbi Gomis, however, will only score one other goal in addition to this initial double, again during a friendly match played and won against Italy in November 2012 (1-2). He was selected twelve times for the Blues, with only one start and 326 minutes played in total.
France
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