Join Now  | 
Home About Contact Us Privacy & Security Advertise
Soccer America Daily Special Edition Around The Net Soccer Business Insider College Soccer Reporter Youth Soccer Reporter Soccer on TV Soccer America Classifieds
Paul Gardner: SoccerTalk Soccer America Confidential Youth Soccer Insider World Cup Watch
RSS Feeds Archives Manage Subscriptions Subscribe
Order Current Issue Subscribe Manage My Subscription Renew My Subscription Gift Subscription
My Account Join Now
Tournament Calendar Camps & Academies Soccer Glossary Classifieds
French coach Blanc criticizes form of player suspensions
AP, August 23rd, 2010 4:06AM
Subscribe to Section 2 Around the Net


MOST READ
TAGS:  european championship, france


New French national team coach Laurent Blanc criticized the different sanctions that were imposed on five players in the aftermath of the Bleus' mutiny at the World Cup.

"Only when people bring me evidence that those five players played a much more important role than the others, will I understand why different sanctions were imposed," Blanc said. "But I want to have it explained to me." Suspensions were handed to Nicolas Anelka (18 games), former captain Patrice Evra (5), Franck Ribery (3) and Jeremy Toulalan (1) after the French players boycotted a training session in South Africa to protest Anelka's expulsion from the team. Eric Abidal escaped a ban.

"It's not that I did not want sanctions -- there have already been sanctions," Blanc added. "But I did not want to have disciplinary sanctions. I wanted to rely on the best players for the key European Championship qualifiers."

Blanc dropped all 23 World Cup players for his first game -- a 2-1 loss to Norway -- but will miss Ribery and Toulalan, two key players, for the opening Euro 2012 qualifier in September.

"Let's not forget that we must erase what happened in South Africa with results," Blanc said. "If we get results, people will forget, even if the scar is deep. But if there's no result, people will forever remember that incident in South Africa."

Read the original story...


No comments yet.

Sign in to leave a comment. Don't have an account? Join Now


AUTHORS

ARCHIVES
FOLLOW SOCCERAMERICA

Recent Section 2 Around the Net
Confusion Reigns Over Neymar's Price     
According to reports in Spain, the going rate for Barcelona target Neymar has suddenly jumped: Marca ...
UCL Spots Up for Grabs This Weekend    
Arsenal and Tottenham aren't the only two teams fighting for the final UEFA Champions League berth ...
Ferguson: 'I Pressured Referees'    
Ahead of his final game in charge of Manchester United this weekend, Alex Ferguson admits that ...
Media Reacts to Beckham's Retirement    
Global media have spent the last 24 hours eulogizing (and in some cases, criticizing) David Beckham's ...
Kidd to Stay on Despite City Exodus    
Brian Kidd, Manchester City's caretaker manager for the remainder of the season, said that the firing ...
Falcao to Monaco '90 Percent Certain'    
Radamel Falcao, the sought-after Atletico Madrid striker who has long been at the top of Chelsea ...
Copa Lib: Riquelme Golazo Fires Boca to Quarterfinals    
A breathtaking goal from veteran Juan Roman Riquelme proved to be the difference as Boca Juniors ...
Benitez Gets His Trophy, Lampard Gets His Contract    
In the end, Chelsea interim coach Rafael Benitez finally received some recognition from the club's supporters, ...
Beckham Announces Retirement    
Former Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder David Beckham announced on Thursday that this season would be his ...
Malaga to Release City Target Pellegrini     
Malaga on Tuesday confirmed that Manuel Pellegrini is free to leave the Spanish club this summer. ...
>> Section 2 Around the Net Archives