FORMER FRANCE COACH Raymond Domenech was sacked by Nantes today after less than two months in charge, with the club hovering just above the Ligue 1 relegation places.
A club source said Domenech had been released, although the club made no official statement.
French media report that former Nantes player Antoine Kombouare is set to take over as the struggling club look to break a run of 16 matches without a win in all competitions. Domenech had been in charge of seven of those games following his appointment in late December.
News of his sacking emerged during Nantes’ 4-2 defeat to Lens in the French Cup today, a defeat Domenech could not attend as he was in isolation following a positive Covid-19 test on Monday.
Nantes fans were never convinced by Domenech, who arrived at the club a decade after his rollercoaster reign as France coach ended in a player strike and early elimination at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
The 69-year-old took charge of Les Bleus in 2004, lost the 2006 World Cup final to Italy in an infamous match in which Zinedine Zidane headbutted Marco Materazzi, led his team to bottom of their group in Euro 2008 and then suffered humiliation two years later.
The 2010 World Cup was a fiasco for France, with temperamental striker Nicolas Anelka sent home and players refusing to train before the team was knocked out in the group stage.
Before being hired by Nantes, Domenech had not managed a team since his sacking as national coach in September 2010.
Domenech was greeted at his first Nantes training session in December by a band playing circus music with a ‘ringmaster’ taking aim at him and club owner Waldemar Kita.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Kita Circus! The Kita Circus brings you some new, amazing new acts,” boomed a member of a supporters’ club to a background of deafening music, saying Domenech would “make us laugh”.
The club sit 18th in Ligue 1, four points above the automatic relegation places.
Then this should be cited surely? https://vine.co/v/OdeleapVKBW
Maybe he is studying the tape now as we speak……didn’t hear the BBC mention that one.
Those BBC lads were a nasty pair, over the top and practically saying Leinster cheated their way to a win
Stamp from the Ulster player alright but did the Leinster player not try to stamp on his foot just before it? That’s what the clip shows anyway. Handbags is all, citings would be ridiculous for that.
Actually no I’m wrong, sorry
It was a pretty low thing to do.
Best was nowhere near the ball and to seek out the ankle to stamp on was cynical.
The referee made a massive error not to punish it with at least a yellow card.
Best was lying in the way as he does all the time, McGrath gave him a little poke to get out of the way, best knew he was slowing down the ball so stayed there.
McGrath was silly but didn’t try hurt best.
Best knew what he was doing and didn’t react.
ulster give away penalties for not rolling away all the time and this should have been a penalty to Leinster.
Players deliberately on the wrong side or not rolling away should get a little shooing.
I’d say he’ll get low end because he didn’t stamp hard, but the only player who needs to worry about that man is the scrum half. And teams these days would rather have a penalty!
I guess then Darcy would have two broken legs then because all he did was hold onto Ulster’s shirt n kill the ball and be offside.
A little poke? I counted three little pokes. I would give him a week for each. I am glad to see you are recommending shooing. It’s great to see someone recommending violence on the pitch.
Like the time John hayes gave Cian healy that poke is that what you mean?
Trevor players who choose to go on the wrong side slowing down the ball are cheating and take their chances by doing so.
What McGrath done was silly but he in no way tried to hurt best.
Anyone who played rugby will tell you the same.
So what you are saying is that you believe it is acceptable to stamp on a player on the field. What level of stamp are you recommending? Who will decide whether it is at the right level or not?
Trevor if you’ve ever played rugby you’ll know that a shoeing is acceptable if you’re caught on the wrong side, McGrath was a bit excessive but if you purposely cheat (not rolling away) then what’s the problem with a little bit?
Yes I am day it’s ok to let a player know he’s on the wrong side and if he’s doing it to cheat then yes it’s ok to rake the studs.
Best knew what he was doing.
Go to any game around the country this week end and watch what happens if a player does what best done.
But if you are caught you still have to face the consequences. Donnacha O’Callaghan got 2 weeks for what was a less obvious offence. But it is a first offence for McGrath and with the 6 Nations on the horizon, he may get off with a caution. Such are the ways.
Cowardly action he was reckless/stupid
I hope he escapes with 2 weeks but he’ll be lucky. Best didn’t exactly try to get out of the way but McGrath could have done serious damage
roger wilsons stamp on McGrath around the 30minute mark was a lot more sinister with only one intention, to do harm to McGrath
Anybody catch Roger Wilsons couple of sly stamps? One of them was on Heaslip’s ankle in the first half. Both were no where near the ball! Certainly don’t remember either of the commentators mentioning them either!
That’s a nothing citing. He gave him a rake as best was on the wrong side. No way that was a stamp and certainly no intention to hurt him. I’m not a Leinster fan btw , but if that attracts a ban it’s very harsh.
Undeniably stupid considering it clearly is a stamping action in broad daylight, and even moreso consdering McGrath is needed to hold a Six Nations champions scrum together, right when we’re extremely short on international looseheads.
Listen , settle down lads. Stamping is ok when done by Leinster but a mortal sin when done by the Boggers….
There’s ways to remove that chip
A straight up and down movement is not rucking it’s stamping. Yes a good shoeing was once acceptable in rugby but has been frowned upon in the professional game for some years now. Rucking an offside player out of the way is still acceptable but when he is no where near the ball and the motion is straight up and down then it’s foul play.
Now i know what the small d stands for..