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France coach Raymond Domenech has said some of his players may refuse to face South Africa because of Nicolas Anelka’s expulsion from the squad.

The Chelsea striker was sent home for verbally abusing Domenech during last week’s 2-0 defeat by Mexico.

When asked whether some of his squad might not play on Tuesday, the coach said: “It is a possibility.”

Domenech also labelled the players’ decision to boycott Sunday’s training session as “an aberration”.

They refused to take part in protest at Anelka’s expulsion, in a situation that has escalated to such an extent the French government have felt the necessity to intervene.

The forward was said to have abused Domenech at half-time during France’s second group game, which led to the 31-year-old being substituted.

Anelka later refused to apologise when asked to do so by French Football Federation president Jean-Pierre Escalettes.

As a consequence, a statement was issued by the FFF stating that Anelka had been excluded from the squad, a measure supported by Domenech.

“Nobody can behave in such a way in the dressing room or elsewhere and high-level sportsmen and women have to lead by example through football,” he added.

The boycott of training led to FFF’s managing director Jean-Louis Valentin quitting his post.

France captain Evra was also involved in a heated argument with fitness coach Robert Duverne prior to the scheduled session, which required the intervention of Domenech.

Sports minister Roselyne Bachelot revealed an official investigation would be conducted into the incident after the tournament.

Acting on the instructions of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Bachelot confronted the players and then held an impromptu media briefing at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein.

“The government has had to intervene as the reputation at France is at stake in this case,” said Bachelot.

“I told the players they had tarnished the image of France,” she commented. “It is a morale disaster for French football.

“I told them they could no longer be heroes for our children. They have destroyed the dreams of their countrymen, their friends and supporters.”

Bachelot also revealed that the players “applauded me and they were crying” after her speech, during which she asked them “How would you like people to remember you and what image do you want to leave behind?”

According to a senior FFF official, the squad’s training boycott was prompted by several players.

“The three or four leaders are players past their prime who will never play a World Cup again,” FFF general secretary Henri Monteil told French daily newspaper La Charente Libre.

Later on Sunday, the French coach read out a statement on behalf of the players but was keen to add that he had not supported the boycott.

“We had to do something – the French people had a right to know,” added Domenech.

“What I should have said at the end of the message was that I did not support this action.

“With the FFF president and staff members, we tried to convince them it was stupid. I disagreed with the document. What they were doing was unthinkable.

“We’ve wasted a lot of energy. There are no words to explain what has happened. I’m hoping we will now have action on the pitch rather than off it.”

France are on the verge of making an early World Cup exit, having picked up only one point from two games.

They need to beat South Africa on Tuesday by a large score and hope that Uruguay and Mexico do not draw their match.

Meanwhile, in France, the national media have largely condemned the players’ actions.

French sports paper L’Equipe wrote: “A rebellion? No, a caprice. A strike? No, cowardliness. Don’t deceive yourself. The republican solidarity that our players showed the world yesterday is an illusion.

“Evra has once and for all shown that he has muddled up the role of captain with that of a gang leader.

“Domenech, by lending a hand to this masquerade and reading out himself the players’ statement, has missed his final opportunity to show some style and courage.”
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Sweden international Martin Olsson has pledged his long-term future to Blackburn Rovers after signing a new five-year deal.

The 22-year-old established his place in Sam Allardyce’s squad last season and has been rewarded with a deal that ties him to the Ewood Park club until the summer of 2015. Olsson, who made his international debut last month, is the second young player Rovers have signed on a five-year contract this summer after promising teenage defender Phil Jones also committed himself to the club.

Olsson, who signed from Swedish club Hogaborgs in 2006, was originally played as a left-back but blossomed last season after also being utilised as a winger. He scored Rovers ‘Goal of the Season’ in their Carling Cup semi-final defeat to Aston Villa while he was twice on target for Sweden on his debut against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“Signing a new contract is easy for me after the enjoyment of last season,” he told the club’s official website. “I gained a lot of confidence, through both the management and my team-mates, and I thought I improved game by game.

“I got my chance and I felt I took it and it doesn’t matter to me whether I am seen as a left winger or left back, as long as I am playing and contributing then I am happy. But I must say that I have enjoyed the forward role and the chance to get among the goals. I have relaxed more and I am already looking forward to next season for I feel I can get better.” (continue reading…)

New Inter Milan boss Rafael Benitez has insisted comparisons with predecessor Jose Mourinho were wide of the mark. Benitez was today unveiled as the new Inter boss following his departure from Liverpool and Mourinho’s switch to Real Madrid.

The Spaniard is hoping to maintain the Nerazzurri’s recent success after Mourinho led them to the Serie A, Coppa Italia and UEFA Champions League treble last season. But he is adamant his approach will differ to that of the Portuguese.

“I don’t think I am the anti-Mourinho but I am different,” he said. “I am a coach who likes winning, who likes playing good football, though, so I don’t think we are different in that.”

Benitez was delighted to have landed at Inter after a difficult end to his six-year spell at Anfield. He added: “The main idea of Inter and of Italy is that you breathe football. You breathe football and I like that. The club is a great one and we will try to do everything possible to be the best.”

Benitez faces a daunting task in following in Mourinho’s footsteps but he is confident that it is the start of an “historic period” for the club and he knows the players must maintain their winning mentality.

“Inter are coming off an almost perfect year. I want the footballers not to lose the desire to win. I want to keep that winning mentality and I think I can,” said Benitez.

“I’m happy to have top-class players. The difficulty will be keeping this level but we can do that. I think the level is high and if we can keep that winning spirit I think we can do well. If the players can do the same again this year, for two more years or even more….it will be an historic period for the club.”

Mourinho was often criticised for a lack of attractive football. And, while Benitez claims his aim is to entertain on the pitch, he insists trophies come first.

He said: “I think that’s a difficult question. What’s good football for you? For me? For our fans? We all know that in England you play a more direct game, Spain is more about short passes. Here we play differently to Spain, what’s better?

“The mentality is always to win playing well and playing well depends on the players you have. I have the mentality of winning playing good football. I think the players are good and they like playing good football. We’ll try to win playing good football but what’s most important is winning.”

Speculation is rife that Benitez will raid Liverpool for his former players. The 50-year-old remained tight-lipped on possible transfer targets, though, insisting his first aim is to get to know the players already at the San Siro.

“I’ve only been here two days,” said Benitez. “It’s important to talk about important players, and there will be time for that. I will try to buy good players, of a good level who will suit a top level club but I can’t say their names. Good players. (continue reading…)

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has said that he has no desire to sign “the second best player in the world”, which in his opinion is Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, or Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney this summer.

Perez returned to the Bernabeu for a second spell last summer but Madrid ended the season empty-handed, despite an outlay of €250 million euros. Having signed the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka prior to the 2009/10 campaign, Madrid have been linked with a host of top names again this year.

Perez famously signed Barcelona’s Luis Figo in 2000 in a highly controversial move in his first stint as president, but insists there will be no repeat this time around with Messi. “Messi is the second best player in the world, after Cristiano, and it wouldn’t be good to have them in the same team,” he said. “This way, there is more competition,” he added, implying that Madrid would be by far the greater force with both players in his side.

New coach Jose Mourinho has apparently identified four new players in order to build a team to challenge both domestically and in Europe, but Perez claims only two or three players will arrive this summer. “We already have the stars in our current squad, so we’ll sign two or three great players to complement them,” he said.

And Inter Milan full-back Maicon, who has already expressed his desire to link up again with Mourinho in Madrid, could be one of them. “There is no rush, but Maicon is one of the great players in the world in his position,” Perez said.

Perez has ruled out a summer swoop for Rooney, however. “In Rooney’s position we already have very good players,” he said. Bayern Munich forward Franck Ribery is another who will not be arriving in the Spanish capital. “Ribery is impossible because he just renewed his contract with Bayern,” he said.

Madrid finished second in La Liga to Barça, while early eliminations to Second Division B side Alcorcon in the Copa del Rey and Lyon in the UEFA Champions League made it an unhappy return for the 63-year-old. Perez acted quickly in light of those disappointments, sacking coach Manuel Pellegrini and bringing in Mourinho on the back of his unprecedented Serie A, Coppa Italia and Champions League treble with Inter.

And it seems Mourinho, unlike Pellegrini, will be given time to get things right at the Bernabeu. “We have contracted Mourinho for four years,” Perez told Antena 3. “We had the opportunity to sign someone I believe is the best coach in the world and we didn’t want to let that opportunity pass by.”

Perez later told Cadena Copa that he expects the often defensive-minded Mourinho to bring both success and attractive football to Madrid. “He knows he is coming to a club where, as well as winning, the fans call for entertainment,” he said. But he added: “I have no doubts about the football he will bring. I remember that his Porto and Chelsea sides played good football.”

Perez wanted to bring in Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger as coach last summer before settling for Pellegrini from Villarreal. “It was impossible,” he said. “So we went for a coach with the same characteristics, and that was Manuel Pellegrini.” (continue reading…)