Raymond Domenech Turns Down Whiskey for the Good of the Team

By: Laurie | November 19th, 2007

I have a deep, dark secret:

I love Raymond Domenech.

Yes, it’s true. I can’t ever seem to get enough Raymond news. It makes me smile. Don’t tell anybody, okay?

Say what you will about the sélectionneur for the France National Team, there are very few people in the universe who are better at making people say, “But…but… You can’t say/do/act like that!” And yet he does. And he usually gets away with it.

Whether he’s accusing Italy of cheating in the 2000 U-21 Olympic qualifiers, or playing injured players despite pleas from their club managers, or using astrology to pick his team, Raymond…

Well, let’s just say he does not travel the beaten path.

He also has a wickedly dry sense of humor. Oh, and did I mention that he’s married to (or at least has two children with) Estelle Denis, a gorgeous French sportscaster/journalist more than twenty years his junior?

(Okay, that one I’ll never figure out.)

The thing is, though, it’s all for the good of the team. Everything he does and says is in some way geared toward making the France team the best in the world. And I kind of have to respect that.

Latest act of selflessness? Turning down a good bottle of Scotch whisky from a Scottish journalist.

CLAIREFONTAINE, France (AFP) – France coach Raymond Domenech turned down the offer of a bottle of Scotch whisky from a Scottish journalist here on Tuesday.

The France coach said that the last time he had accepted a bottle of Scotch from another Scottish journalist, his side had lost to Scotland – the only team to have beaten them twice in the Euro 2008 qualifiers

And guess what? It worked. Italy beat Scotland this weekend, knocking Scotland out of Euro ‘08, a victory which sent France through as well.

Way to take it for the team, Raymond. Or…y’know… Way to not take it.

(But if that whisky’s still out there, I’d be happy to take it off your hands.)

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Category: Europe, World Football

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Pip's

Apart from the fact he's hilarious, I also fancy the pants off him, thats coming from a 25 year old! He's a good looking older guy in my eyes. Lucky lady Estelle Denis!
Fuoco

Domenech is a jackass, piece of shit!!
mctalian

I'm an aficiando of the eccentric myself, but fetishizing Domenech goes a bit far for me. Grant it he's a wily squirrel that sqeauks the most darling things for headlines, which makes entertaining reading. But behind his seemingly gin-dry humor is a hot anger fueled by self-righteous arrogance. That reserve of spleen is just dying to burst out. It's good thing he didn't accept the whisky; it might have sent him over the edge.
Martha

For the most part, I find Domenech pretty hilarious; he's fun to read about, and be happy I don't have to care about the team he's coaching. But that whole "Italy cheated I have proof" debacle was pretty bizarre and, at the very least, ill-conceived.