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Lièvremont: Ashamed of his players
France coach Marc Lievremont launched an unprecedented attack on his players on Sunday in the aftermath of their historic 22-21 Six Nations defeat by Italy accusing them of betrayal and being cowards.
The 42-year-old has suffered many reverses since guiding France to the Grand Slam last year - their first since 2004 - but the nature of their defeat to Italy when France had led 18-6 in the second-half left him seething even after having had a night to reflect on it.
"Maybe they were too much in the comfort zone," mused Lièvremont, who was a surprise choice to replace Bernard Laporte after the 2007 World Cup.
"Do I feel responsible for that? No, they betrayed us, they have betrayed me and they have betrayed the French national team shirt.
"In terms of the tactics deployed, it defied belief. I did not recognise anything in their performance that we had worked on.
"Do you really think that I told them to play as they did against Italy? I was ashamed. I do not have the impression we asked them to walk on the moon. I do not ask for complicated things.
"This match was an hallucination. I do not want to clear myself from the blame but they invented things on the pitch."
Lièvremont, who steadfastly refused to step down after the humiliating 59-16 home defeat by Australia last November, laid into his players and questioned their character.
"They are lacking in courage. They are good guys but cursed with what is obviously cowardice," said Lièvremont, who refused to address the players after the match such was his fury and only singled out captain Thierry Dusautoir and wing Vincent Clerc for praise.
"They are not even capable of admitting to their own mistakes. Perhaps it is a trend among the new generation," added Lièvremont, who was a top class back row forward and played in the 1999 World Cup final defeat by Australia.
Lièvremont, who said that he would make sweeping changes to the squad for the final Six Nations match next Saturday at home to Wales, said he should have been more alert to a possible shock given the attitude of the players when they returned from club duty last weekend.
"Last Saturday evening, they must have behaved like idiots after their matches," he said.
"I left them alone till Sunday evening. Monday, they dragged their feet. Tuesday, their training session was disgusting, appalling."
Lièvremont, whose position does not appear to be in jeopardy and indeed at the post match banquet French rugby federation chief Pierre Camou was heard saying 'I will maintain the coach', said that he wasn't spoilt for choice when it came to bringing in replacements.
"I can bring in players who weren't in the orginal enlarged Six Nations squad of 30," he said.
"Anything is possible. But in terms of solutions with regard to the players, there are not 10,000.
"I have done the rounds of the French players, I am beginning to know them and I am having real trouble in putting together a squad.
"Finally, we have to send 30 players to the World Cup...
"I have already looked several players in the eyes and told them they would be at the World Cup. All that is now up in the air. The Italy match means we are back at the starting gate.
"What is for sure is that certain players have worn the French shirt for the last time."
Comments
ogonda says...
Lievremont & selectors have no choice but to drop players that continue to under-perform or just can't deliver irrespective of the positional switch. The first list of casualties has been effected (Marconnet, Chabal, Jauzion, Thion, Poitrenaud and Rougerie). It is inevitable that the second and final list (most likely comprising Parra, David Marty and Traille) will be announced after the Wales test. France will come good before the World Cup f the coaching team remains bold and calls a spade a spade.
Posted 15:18 14th March 2011
indy says...
This is outrageous. Everything he said may well be true, but to say it in a public forum and in such vitriolic fashion is unforgiveable. It shows a complete lack of discipline and professionalism on his part. This is a time to close ranks and sort things out.
Posted 14:56 14th March 2011
laura says...
Disgraceful.
And shameful.
Posted 11:25 14th March 2011
bothhands says...
this guy has to go. How can a team take such public ridicule? He would be lucky to not get his front teeth kicked in for those comments.
Posted 09:25 14th March 2011
benski says...
Ranting and raving about his players to the press is yet another example of why this team is underperforming. There is clearly little respect between players and coach and obvious dischord within the camp. On that basis you are never going to turn out top class performances, the players have to respect and believe in their coach and vice-verse. I dont pretend to know what the answer is but it seems to me that a team/coach sit down face to face, gloves off discussion would be a good place to start in order to clear the air at the very least.
On another note, I think it would have been far more productive for ML to have shown some respect towards the Italians who put in a stellar performance, rather than berating his own troops.
Posted 06:09 14th March 2011
felly says...
I believe he does has a point. France are so out of sorts, and I get the impression the players would much rather play for their clubs than country. But, why, and how did this occur????!!!!!! There seems to be an arrogance to French play which needs to be resolved!!
Although, hats off to Italy, they worked hard for that!!!
Posted 01:07 14th March 2011
rugbydinosaur says...
Why all this condemnation of the French players? Is it not conceivable that Italy had a superb game. Lievremont is implicitly insulting the Italian team by saying that his French players betrayed him. The Irish ( and I am an Irish supporter) similarly moaned about their performance against the Italians. I think the 'five nations' should begin to recognize that Italy are now legitimately members of the club.
Posted 00:36 14th March 2011
kije says...
So he isn't responsible eh? I think he's the one suffering from cowardice.
Posted 23:55 13th March 2011
Iyhel says...
@ mlbp :"I didn't like Laporte, but he was able to galvanize the spirit of the team and make it rock-solid."
You mean, like this stupid lecture of Moquet's letter just before the opening match in RWC 2007? Great management indeed!
@ suilven: "PS: Marc, they lost by ONE point, and Italy played like their lives depended on it. Not really the "humiliation" it's claimed to be."
The score ain't the problem, it's the attitude. From the very beginning they were completely absent. A few glimpses of individual brilliance shown that overall they were far superior to the Italian technically but they looked like they were on holidays. If there's one sport for which showing up will never be enough, it's rugby!
End of bitter words for me, there are things more important and in regards to rugby, I enjoyed the match at Twickenham.
Posted 22:41 13th March 2011
gauca says...
Next game Wales, I hope who ever plays they play like their lives depend on it and pull out an emphatic win to restore a sense of pride.
After that I would expect ML to stand down giving a new coach a couple of warm ups before WC and we can see from there. Players usually lift their game for new coaching as they potentially have alot to gain/lose.
Theoretically all a new coach and indeed ML for matter really has to do is pick some common sense combinations such as Beauxis/Dupuuy, Floch/Malzieu/Rougerie etc etc and let them get on with it. Players who play together understand eah other and thats all France need to do, get in sink with one another and play like they do for their clubs. Not playing random players and people out of positions with people they are not used to playing with.
Easy in theory.
Posted 19:59 13th March 2011
Center12 says...
1 T.Domingo
2 W.Servat
3 N.Mas
4 L.Nallet
5 J.Thion
6 T.Dusautoir capt
7 J.Bonnaire
8 I.Harinordoqui
9 D.Yachvili
10 F.Michalack
11 C.heymans
12 D.Traille
13 Y.Jausion
14 V.Clerc
15 M.Medard
16 D.Szarsewski
17 S.Marconnet
18 S.Chabal
19 Y.Nyanga
20 M.Parra
21 C.Poitrenaud
22 A.Rougerie
Posted 17:42 13th March 2011
franksinatra says...
Lievermont has BETRAYED himself. Since being gifted the France job, he has completely failed to mold an international squad that works. Aside from a few unexpected victories (in NZ, 2010 6 Nations, etc) he has fielded an inconsistent team rife with uninspiring performances DESPITE their talent level. Why can't the FFR hire a coach that gets consistency out of its ruggers? Lievermont is obviously NOT the answer and he should be fired after YET AGAIN failing to motivate his players.
Posted 17:41 13th March 2011
Lucasrg says...
A bit harsh isn't it?
France players did underperform but it would be more honorable from Lièvremont to recognize the Italian resilance and great achievement.
Also, why did he insist on Chabal as N.8. not that he is a bad player, but...
Why Thion came so late in such a phisical game? Was it really just player's fault?
Posted 17:30 13th March 2011
suilven says...
Turning on the players to save himself? Completely barking mad a la Mad Bernie Laporte? First he plays so many selections no one knows who's next to them, then their lack of cohesion & drive is not remotely anything to do with him. What an inexcusably crap way to behave to your players. Don't think anyone will be dedicating anything to Lievremont like Parisse to Mallett yesterday. Up til now I could see the point, theoretically, of what he was doing; and he seemed a decent guy; but this is just wrong!
PS: Marc, they lost by ONE point, and Italy played like their lives depended on it.
Not really the "humiliation" it's claimed to be.
Posted 17:30 13th March 2011
gauca says...
Im not a ML supporter and I feel it is time for him to go. That said his remarks about his players (though he picked them and kept them) are in alot of respects valid. It is easy to blame the coach when your side lose (Ido alot regarding ML) but these players have blown chance after chance for sometime now since last year and some need making examples of.
I do feel betrayed by alot of the players turning out poor performances all too regularly, whether or not the players who play are the best selections in alot of peoples opinions, and above all other considerations regarding dissafection with your management when you play for your country you play with pride and honour. I feel sections of the France squad currently should be axed with immediate effect. Whether or not this is suicidal in terms of WC examples must be made.
It appears to me Frances front three have been carrying the team for some time now but scrummaging alone will not win games. Behind Domingo/Servat/Mas all positions should be under review and especially in the backs.
Posted 14:59 13th March 2011
mlbp says...
Mr Lièvremont, this comes a bit too late. Many fans saw lack of attitude last year already, and while there was room for tinkering in the past to see if the players chosen were up to the necessary standard, now there was room for choosing the best players with the best attitude. Which players are you going to give the boot? In general it looks like a trend in most French sport. Players tend to relax when they reach a certain level, they never keep on pushing. England players are the opposite. Maybe they are not as brilliant as the French in terms of talent, but their resolve and their commitment to the sport looks higher. Is French joie de vivre to blame?
Certain players are clearly past it. Jerome Thion was a player that gave his best to this team but he cannot even be on the bench now. Chabal has been given too many options. Jauzion is on the wane. Traille's best days are over. These players have already played their best 20 games of their lives and they'll never play better than in the past, so they have no room in this team. Nallet's dip in form is worrying. He was a real stalwart last year. It would be a shame that players like Pierre, Trinh-Duc, Parra or Huget are forever marked as the ones that caused this disaster. I wonder who Lièvremont was referring to when he says that there will be players who will never wear the blue shirt again.
Mr Lièvremont is to blame too because the most important thing a coach must do is to create an atmosphere that enables the players to show their true potential. The beginning of the match was a shambles. Where does this lack of motivation come from?
I didn't like Laporte, but he was able to galvanize the spirit of the team and make it rock-solid. I expected Lièvremont to do the same and give the players free rein to express their Laporte-restrained talent.
The double nature of the French can never be reconciled.
Posted 14:41 13th March 2011
sebbb says...
Hahaha, that is just what thje French require, 'sweeping changes'. The man is a odious baffoon, long may he continue as French head coach.
What is it about the French and coaching.They produce some of the worlds most creative and gifted footballers (in all codes) but their coaches are always nuts!
Posted 14:23 13th March 2011