Has Domenech Gone Mad?
France Coach Raymond Domenech recently named his squad to face the Faroe Islands and Lithuania and incredibly left out David Trezeguet. Carlo Garganese asks how Domenech can possibly overlook the Juventus striker in his very best form…
David Trezeguet is one of the most prolific forwards in European football history. His goals-to-game ratio is comparable with any of the all-time greats. At the beginning of the current campaign the 29-year-old had scored an astonishing total of 162 goals in just 280 club games. His record for the French national team is also fantastic, with 34 goals in 69 appearances.
When you consider that Trezeguet does not take penalties or free-kicks, then these tallies are absolutely remarkable. This term the striker has just made what he himself has described as his best-ever start to a new season, scoring six goals in his first seven games (before Sunday’s clash at Fiorentina).
His finishing this season has been absolutely world-class, with the strikes against Roma and Torino particularly lethal. The ex-Monaco man is currently joint top-scorer in the meanest league in the world and he recently bagged his 100th Serie A goal of his career during the 2-2 draw with Roma.
Despite these credentials, France Coach Raymond Domenech has astonishingly taken the decision to axe Trezeguet for these next round of Euro 2008 qualifiers.
"Trezeguet's absence is related to the competition," Domenech revealed. "We have six or seven centre forwards. There were choices to make."
Domenech named Bolton's Nicolas Anelka, Karim Benzema and Sidney Govou of Lyon, Barcelona's Thierry Henry and Louis Saha of Manchester United ahead of Trezeguet. With the exception of Anelka and Henry, it seems impossible that Domenech can possibly consider the likes of Govou, Saha and Benzema as better than Trezeguet.
Saha has been injured for what seems like an eternity and he has barely played this season. During the Champions League match with Roma last Wednesday, his last game before Domenech named his squad, Saha was completely anonymous and didn’t get a kick all game.
Saha looks overweight and unfit, yet Domenech still considers the frontman as a better choice than the proven Trezeguet. As for Govou, well he had one outstanding game for France against an unfit Italy side a year ago in Paris, when he scored two goals, but what has he done since? Benzema is a bright young talent - but ahead of Trezeguet?
“I don’t understand it,” Trezeguet told L’Equipe. “Domenech says he calls up players because of their performances for their clubs.
“Seven goals in six matches – I can’t do better than that. It’s the best start to a season I have ever had.
“I need things to be clear and the Coach needs to tell me face to face what his problem with me is.”
One can only think that there must be an ulterior motive for why Domenech has taken such a step. The Juventus man criticised the Coach last month after he had accused the Italy Under-21’s of virtually buying a referee before a match against France in 1999. Whether this is Trezeguet’s punishment for this outburst who knows?
The only other possible explanation could be that Domenech does not fancy Trezeguet’s style of play. The forward can sometimes be anonymous during games as he is essentially a penalty-box player. He is not going to create a goal for himself or even link-up the play that well, but what you do know is that when he gets a chance he will score.
Only Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Luca Toni and a fully-fit Ronaldo can boast such devastating finishing prowess as Trezeguet. The choice not to call him up is disgraceful. But then what do you expect from someone like Domenech? His past record in the world of football hardly makes such a decision surprising.
What are your views on the decision to axe Trezeguet? Goal.com wants to know what YOU think?
Carlo Garganese
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I really feel bad for Trez, this is hurting his morale. Domenech is an idiot, I always though that.
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