Adrien Rabiot

[doctor stefan Freud]

To me they play the same role as the box to box player.

If they’re in for De Jong, it might mean they’re less serious about Rabiot

 

[LeParisien]

I’m genuinely shocked at this behaviour - but I have a feeling it’s this sort of clique mentality which held back England too.

Apologies if this is off topic but it’s been underreported - even in France. That’s in part because of journalists who wish to protect the national team and also because some coaches have felt a sense of loyalty to the players. However when earlier this year Ribéry tried to re-write history, a lot more came out about the build up to the WC and the fall out at the tournament itself.

What follows is probably the most detailed description of events in the English language, which is surprising given the fact the scanda involves so many premier league super stars.

At the time there are lots of quotes by players in the french squad insisting that camaraderie within the team was fine. This is despite strong and persistent rumours that Ribéry had fallen out with Gourcuff.

Gourcuff himself insisted he would only speak about footballing matters - an intelligent guy, he would engage in conversations about tactics (his dad is a high profile coach). To this day he has remained silent.

Ribéry was the chief instigator of trouble but also the teams best player.

In 2008 things had been different. He referred to Gourcuff as family. He had fallen out first with another troublemaker, Nasri, and then turned his attentions to Vieira. In one notable incident in 2009, Ribéry approached vieira in the shower and yelled « I’m gonna fuck him up the bastard, I’m gonna fuck him up! »

Towards the end of 2009, Ribery started causing more general trouble. In training he was asked to play on the right during a drill and he refused to take part. His attitude was atrocious. In what was billed as a must win game against Romania to qualify for the WC, the team played well. However when Ribéry and Benzema were brought on, they refused to run. Ribery was upset at being played on the right and spent his time chastising team mates. France drew 1-1 and would eventually have to play against Ireland in the playoff to even qualify.

Eventually, with Gourcuff’s stock rising, Ribery shifted his focus. Domenech said he was motivated by « jealousy tinged with hatred towards Gourcuff. » Gourcuff was seen as the « nouvelle star » of the team and was photogenic (unlike Ribéry). As the World Cup began it was Gourcuff who was chosen by Adidas to be the face of the side and he had a giant billboard with his face on along the Champs Elysées. To compound things the advert showed him reading - what a middle-class pursuit!

A few months earlier a core of players had started to undermine Gourcuff. During a 2-0 defeat to Spain in March 2010, Henry, Anelka and Ribéry had refused to pass to Gourcuff. Gourcuff had complained to Domonech that Anelka has refused to run into the throughballs he had played but Domenech told him to keep making the passes. Ribery told Domenech he wouldn’t play in the World Cup if he was played on the right against Spain. Domenech had justice on one side and the threat of losing his best players on the other. He tried to find a middle ground.

As the team trained in the buildup to the World Cup, the situation escalated. A 4-3-3 was being tried out during tactical drills with Gourcuff the playmaker. Ribery, Anelka and Malouda did their best to tank the drills. Henry and others asked for Gourcuff to be stripped of set pieces despite the fact he had taken them for months and had been practising them all week.

The team was being split among religious-sociological lines. The players from a poorer background and the muslim players tended to side with Ribery - there was also Anelka, Malouda, Diana, Abidal, Evra, Henry and Gallas. The more middle class players (Toulalan, Gourcuff, Lloris) stuck together too.

Perhaps a fairer view is that it was those from big city estates against those from the provinces. This is 12 years after the famous word cup winning team hailed for representing a multicultural France.

Things escalated so that Gourcuff was being bullied. The nasty clan would flick his ears continually from behind. In training they would tackle him if he was in their side or openly refuse to cover for him or pass to him. He is mocked for being homosexual (even though he is not).

After the opening game, a 0-0 against Uruguay, tv stations played replays of the clan refusing to pass to Gourcuff in good decisions. The tensions were becoming public.

Behind the scenes the homophobic insults continued as a regular onslaught. His middle class upbringing is held against him as a sign of softness. His restrained lifestyle out of step with the bling bling approach of the others (Ribery would later be accused of using an underage prostitute in an exclusive Parisian nightclub).

The implosion was preceded by an incident at breakfast one day. Gourcuff, who was one of the few players not to have a female partner with him, had caught the eye of Ribery’s wife. According to the team doctor, Madame ribery made several comments to ribery about Gourcuffs attractiveness and one day went to join him as he ate breakfast alone (ostracised by much of the group). You can imagine how Ribery took this...

Ribery, Gallas, Anelka and Evra starting slapping Gourcuff hard around the back of the head every chance they got. Henry started the nickname « la nouvelle star » in an ironic manner (how are your people skills now, Titi?). They continued not to pass the ball and when they had to, would play the ball too hard to be controlled. Ribery became obsessed with making Gourcuffs life hell.

Gradually « Les intellos » (the intellectuals) were singled out for reading. Oh the horror! Lloris was part of this group. This is similar to the abuse that Ribery, Nasri and Niang had met out to Valbuena when they had been at Marseille (Benzema - not at the World Cup but who had been part of this group - would later be excluded from the french tea for blackmailing Valbuena... not hard to imagine the motivation..). In one incident Evra pushed Gourcuff against a wall and threatened him.

The campaign of bullying and sabotaging of training sessions worked as Gourcuff was dropped for the next match. Domenech had given in despite insisting in public that everything was fine.

Everything wasn’t and the team would crash out of the group stage in disgrace.

 

[doctor stefan Freud]

Apologies if this is off topic but it’s been underreported - even in France. That’s in part because of journalists who wish to protect the national team and also because some coaches have felt a sense of loyalty to the players. However when earlier this year Ribéry tried to re-write history, a lot more came out about the build up to the WC and the fall out at the tournament itself.

What follows is probably the most detailed description of events in the English language, which is surprising given the fact the scanda involves so many premier league super stars.

At the time there are lots of quotes by players in the french squad insisting that camaraderie within the team was fine. This is despite strong and persistent rumours that Ribéry had fallen out with Gourcuff.

Gourcuff himself insisted he would only speak about footballing matters - an intelligent guy, he would engage in conversations about tactics (his dad is a high profile coach). To this day he has remained silent.

Ribéry was the chief instigator of trouble but also the teams best player.

In 2008 things had been different. He referred to Gourcuff as family. He had fallen out first with another troublemaker, Nasri, and then turned his attentions to Vieira. In one notable incident in 2009, Ribéry approached vieira in the shower and yelled « I’m gonna fuck him up the bastard, I’m gonna fuck him up! »

Towards the end of 2009, Ribery started causing more general trouble. In training he was asked to play on the right during a drill and he refused to take part. His attitude was atrocious. In what was billed as a must win game against Romania to qualify for the WC, the team played well. However when Ribéry and Benzema were brought on, they refused to run. Ribery was upset at being played on the right and spent his time chastising team mates. France drew 1-1 and would eventually have to play against Ireland in the playoff to even qualify.

Eventually, with Gourcuff’s stock rising, Ribery shifted his focus. Domenech said he was motivated by « jealousy tinged with hatred towards Gourcuff. » Gourcuff was seen as the « nouvelle star » of the team and was photogenic (unlike Ribéry). As the World Cup began it was Gourcuff who was chosen by Adidas to be the face of the side and he had a giant billboard with his face on along the Champs Elysées. To compound things the advert showed him reading - what a middle-class pursuit!

A few months earlier a core of players had started to undermine Gourcuff. During a 2-0 defeat to Spain in March 2010, Henry, Anelka and Ribéry had refused to pass to Gourcuff. Gourcuff had complained to Domonech that Anelka has refused to run into the throughballs he had played but Domenech told him to keep making the passes. Ribery told Domenech he wouldn’t play in the World Cup if he was played on the right against Spain. Domenech had justice on one side and the threat of losing his best players on the other. He tried to find a middle ground.

As the team trained in the buildup to the World Cup, the situation escalated. A 4-3-3 was being tried out during tactical drills with Gourcuff the playmaker. Ribery, Anelka and Malouda did their best to tank the drills. Henry and others asked for Gourcuff to be stripped of set pieces despite the fact he had taken them for months and had been practising them all week.

The team was being split among religious-sociological lines. The players from a poorer background and the muslim players tended to side with Ribery - there was also Anelka, Malouda, Diana, Abidal, Evra, Henry and Gallas. The more middle class players (Toulalan, Gourcuff, Lloris) stuck together too.

Perhaps a fairer view is that it was those from big city estates against those from the provinces. This is 12 years after the famous word cup winning team hailed for representing a multicultural France.

Things escalated so that Gourcuff was being bullied. The nasty clan would flick his ears continually from behind. In training they would tackle him if he was in their side or openly refuse to cover for him or pass to him. He is mocked for being homosexual (even though he is not).

After the opening game, a 0-0 against Uruguay, tv stations played replays of the clan refusing to pass to Gourcuff in good decisions. The tensions were becoming public.

Behind the scenes the homophobic insults continued as a regular onslaught. His middle class upbringing is held against him as a sign of softness. His restrained lifestyle out of step with the bling bling approach of the others (Ribery would later be accused of using an underage prostitute in an exclusive Parisian nightclub).

The implosion was preceded by an incident at breakfast one day. Gourcuff, who was one of the few players not to have a female partner with him, had caught the eye of Ribery’s wife. According to the team doctor, Madame ribery made several comments to ribery about Gourcuffs attractiveness and one day went to join him as he ate breakfast alone (ostracised by much of the group). You can imagine how Ribery took this...

Ribery, Gallas, Anelka and Evra starting slapping Gourcuff hard around the back of the head every chance they got. Henry started the nickname « la nouvelle star » in an ironic manner (how are your people skills now, Titi?). They continued not to pass the ball and when they had to, would play the ball too hard to be controlled. Ribery became obsessed with making Gourcuffs life hell.

Gradually « Les intellos » (the intellectuals) were singled out for reading. Oh the horror! Lloris was part of this group. This is similar to the abuse that Ribery, Nasri and Niang had met out to Valbuena when they had been at Marseille (Benzema - not at the World Cup but who had been part of this group - would later be excluded from the french tea for blackmailing Valbuena... not hard to imagine the motivation..). In one incident Evra pushed Gourcuff against a wall and threatened him.

The campaign of bullying and sabotaging of training sessions worked as Gourcuff was dropped for the next match. Domenech had given in despite insisting in public that everything was fine.

Everything wasn’t and the team would crash out of the group stage in disgrace.

It’s like a Balzac novel....let the beatings commence

 

[scat1620]

Apologies if this is off topic but it’s been underreported - even in France. That’s in part because of journalists who wish to protect the national team and also because some coaches have felt a sense of loyalty to the players. However when earlier this year Ribéry tried to re-write history, a lot more came out about the build up to the WC and the fall out at the tournament itself.

What follows is probably the most detailed description of events in the English language, which is surprising given the fact the scanda involves so many premier league super stars.

At the time there are lots of quotes by players in the french squad insisting that camaraderie within the team was fine. This is despite strong and persistent rumours that Ribéry had fallen out with Gourcuff.

Gourcuff himself insisted he would only speak about footballing matters - an intelligent guy, he would engage in conversations about tactics (his dad is a high profile coach). To this day he has remained silent.

Ribéry was the chief instigator of trouble but also the teams best player.

In 2008 things had been different. He referred to Gourcuff as family. He had fallen out first with another troublemaker, Nasri, and then turned his attentions to Vieira. In one notable incident in 2009, Ribéry approached vieira in the shower and yelled « I’m gonna fuck him up the bastard, I’m gonna fuck him up! »

Towards the end of 2009, Ribery started causing more general trouble. In training he was asked to play on the right during a drill and he refused to take part. His attitude was atrocious. In what was billed as a must win game against Romania to qualify for the WC, the team played well. However when Ribéry and Benzema were brought on, they refused to run. Ribery was upset at being played on the right and spent his time chastising team mates. France drew 1-1 and would eventually have to play against Ireland in the playoff to even qualify.

Eventually, with Gourcuff’s stock rising, Ribery shifted his focus. Domenech said he was motivated by « jealousy tinged with hatred towards Gourcuff. » Gourcuff was seen as the « nouvelle star » of the team and was photogenic (unlike Ribéry). As the World Cup began it was Gourcuff who was chosen by Adidas to be the face of the side and he had a giant billboard with his face on along the Champs Elysées. To compound things the advert showed him reading - what a middle-class pursuit!

A few months earlier a core of players had started to undermine Gourcuff. During a 2-0 defeat to Spain in March 2010, Henry, Anelka and Ribéry had refused to pass to Gourcuff. Gourcuff had complained to Domonech that Anelka has refused to run into the throughballs he had played but Domenech told him to keep making the passes. Ribery told Domenech he wouldn’t play in the World Cup if he was played on the right against Spain. Domenech had justice on one side and the threat of losing his best players on the other. He tried to find a middle ground.

As the team trained in the buildup to the World Cup, the situation escalated. A 4-3-3 was being tried out during tactical drills with Gourcuff the playmaker. Ribery, Anelka and Malouda did their best to tank the drills. Henry and others asked for Gourcuff to be stripped of set pieces despite the fact he had taken them for months and had been practising them all week.

The team was being split among religious-sociological lines. The players from a poorer background and the muslim players tended to side with Ribery - there was also Anelka, Malouda, Diana, Abidal, Evra, Henry and Gallas. The more middle class players (Toulalan, Gourcuff, Lloris) stuck together too.

Perhaps a fairer view is that it was those from big city estates against those from the provinces. This is 12 years after the famous word cup winning team hailed for representing a multicultural France.

Things escalated so that Gourcuff was being bullied. The nasty clan would flick his ears continually from behind. In training they would tackle him if he was in their side or openly refuse to cover for him or pass to him. He is mocked for being homosexual (even though he is not).

After the opening game, a 0-0 against Uruguay, tv stations played replays of the clan refusing to pass to Gourcuff in good decisions. The tensions were becoming public.

Behind the scenes the homophobic insults continued as a regular onslaught. His middle class upbringing is held against him as a sign of softness. His restrained lifestyle out of step with the bling bling approach of the others (Ribery would later be accused of using an underage prostitute in an exclusive Parisian nightclub).

The implosion was preceded by an incident at breakfast one day. Gourcuff, who was one of the few players not to have a female partner with him, had caught the eye of Ribery’s wife. According to the team doctor, Madame ribery made several comments to ribery about Gourcuffs attractiveness and one day went to join him as he ate breakfast alone (ostracised by much of the group). You can imagine how Ribery took this...

Ribery, Gallas, Anelka and Evra starting slapping Gourcuff hard around the back of the head every chance they got. Henry started the nickname « la nouvelle star » in an ironic manner (how are your people skills now, Titi?). They continued not to pass the ball and when they had to, would play the ball too hard to be controlled. Ribery became obsessed with making Gourcuffs life hell.

Gradually « Les intellos » (the intellectuals) were singled out for reading. Oh the horror! Lloris was part of this group. This is similar to the abuse that Ribery, Nasri and Niang had met out to Valbuena when they had been at Marseille (Benzema - not at the World Cup but who had been part of this group - would later be excluded from the french tea for blackmailing Valbuena... not hard to imagine the motivation..). In one incident Evra pushed Gourcuff against a wall and threatened him.

The campaign of bullying and sabotaging of training sessions worked as Gourcuff was dropped for the next match. Domenech had given in despite insisting in public that everything was fine.

Everything wasn’t and the team would crash out of the group stage in disgrace.

Even today Ribery looks like he'd be much more at home in the autumn of 1793 than he does in the 21st century. Can easily picture him done up in full sans-culottes garb, n'all.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

That was an interesting read, and something that has been shockingly underreported. I guess being victimised for such things isn’t seen as discrimination because if you have had advantages in life you deserve to be persecuted.

 

[Japhet]

Apologies if this is off topic but it’s been underreported - even in France. That’s in part because of journalists who wish to protect the national team and also because some coaches have felt a sense of loyalty to the players. However when earlier this year Ribéry tried to re-write history, a lot more came out about the build up to the WC and the fall out at the tournament itself.

What follows is probably the most detailed description of events in the English language, which is surprising given the fact the scanda involves so many premier league super stars.

At the time there are lots of quotes by players in the french squad insisting that camaraderie within the team was fine. This is despite strong and persistent rumours that Ribéry had fallen out with Gourcuff.

Gourcuff himself insisted he would only speak about footballing matters - an intelligent guy, he would engage in conversations about tactics (his dad is a high profile coach). To this day he has remained silent.

Ribéry was the chief instigator of trouble but also the teams best player.

In 2008 things had been different. He referred to Gourcuff as family. He had fallen out first with another troublemaker, Nasri, and then turned his attentions to Vieira. In one notable incident in 2009, Ribéry approached vieira in the shower and yelled « I’m gonna fuck him up the bastard, I’m gonna fuck him up! »

Towards the end of 2009, Ribery started causing more general trouble. In training he was asked to play on the right during a drill and he refused to take part. His attitude was atrocious. In what was billed as a must win game against Romania to qualify for the WC, the team played well. However when Ribéry and Benzema were brought on, they refused to run. Ribery was upset at being played on the right and spent his time chastising team mates. France drew 1-1 and would eventually have to play against Ireland in the playoff to even qualify.

Eventually, with Gourcuff’s stock rising, Ribery shifted his focus. Domenech said he was motivated by « jealousy tinged with hatred towards Gourcuff. » Gourcuff was seen as the « nouvelle star » of the team and was photogenic (unlike Ribéry). As the World Cup began it was Gourcuff who was chosen by Adidas to be the face of the side and he had a giant billboard with his face on along the Champs Elysées. To compound things the advert showed him reading - what a middle-class pursuit!

A few months earlier a core of players had started to undermine Gourcuff. During a 2-0 defeat to Spain in March 2010, Henry, Anelka and Ribéry had refused to pass to Gourcuff. Gourcuff had complained to Domonech that Anelka has refused to run into the throughballs he had played but Domenech told him to keep making the passes. Ribery told Domenech he wouldn’t play in the World Cup if he was played on the right against Spain. Domenech had justice on one side and the threat of losing his best players on the other. He tried to find a middle ground.

As the team trained in the buildup to the World Cup, the situation escalated. A 4-3-3 was being tried out during tactical drills with Gourcuff the playmaker. Ribery, Anelka and Malouda did their best to tank the drills. Henry and others asked for Gourcuff to be stripped of set pieces despite the fact he had taken them for months and had been practising them all week.

The team was being split among religious-sociological lines. The players from a poorer background and the muslim players tended to side with Ribery - there was also Anelka, Malouda, Diana, Abidal, Evra, Henry and Gallas. The more middle class players (Toulalan, Gourcuff, Lloris) stuck together too.

Perhaps a fairer view is that it was those from big city estates against those from the provinces. This is 12 years after the famous word cup winning team hailed for representing a multicultural France.

Things escalated so that Gourcuff was being bullied. The nasty clan would flick his ears continually from behind. In training they would tackle him if he was in their side or openly refuse to cover for him or pass to him. He is mocked for being homosexual (even though he is not).

After the opening game, a 0-0 against Uruguay, tv stations played replays of the clan refusing to pass to Gourcuff in good decisions. The tensions were becoming public.

Behind the scenes the homophobic insults continued as a regular onslaught. His middle class upbringing is held against him as a sign of softness. His restrained lifestyle out of step with the bling bling approach of the others (Ribery would later be accused of using an underage prostitute in an exclusive Parisian nightclub).

The implosion was preceded by an incident at breakfast one day. Gourcuff, who was one of the few players not to have a female partner with him, had caught the eye of Ribery’s wife. According to the team doctor, Madame ribery made several comments to ribery about Gourcuffs attractiveness and one day went to join him as he ate breakfast alone (ostracised by much of the group). You can imagine how Ribery took this...

Ribery, Gallas, Anelka and Evra starting slapping Gourcuff hard around the back of the head every chance they got. Henry started the nickname « la nouvelle star » in an ironic manner (how are your people skills now, Titi?). They continued not to pass the ball and when they had to, would play the ball too hard to be controlled. Ribery became obsessed with making Gourcuffs life hell.

Gradually « Les intellos » (the intellectuals) were singled out for reading. Oh the horror! Lloris was part of this group. This is similar to the abuse that Ribery, Nasri and Niang had met out to Valbuena when they had been at Marseille (Benzema - not at the World Cup but who had been part of this group - would later be excluded from the french tea for blackmailing Valbuena... not hard to imagine the motivation..). In one incident Evra pushed Gourcuff against a wall and threatened him.

The campaign of bullying and sabotaging of training sessions worked as Gourcuff was dropped for the next match. Domenech had given in despite insisting in public that everything was fine.

Everything wasn’t and the team would crash out of the group stage in disgrace.

They sound like a proper bunch of spoilt brats.

 

[rawhide]

Apologies if this is off topic but it’s been underreported - even in France. That’s in part because of journalists who wish to protect the national team and also because some coaches have felt a sense of loyalty to the players. However when earlier this year Ribéry tried to re-write history, a lot more came out about the build up to the WC and the fall out at the tournament itself.

What follows is probably the most detailed description of events in the English language, which is surprising given the fact the scanda involves so many premier league super stars.

At the time there are lots of quotes by players in the french squad insisting that camaraderie within the team was fine. This is despite strong and persistent rumours that Ribéry had fallen out with Gourcuff.

Gourcuff himself insisted he would only speak about footballing matters - an intelligent guy, he would engage in conversations about tactics (his dad is a high profile coach). To this day he has remained silent.

Ribéry was the chief instigator of trouble but also the teams best player.

In 2008 things had been different. He referred to Gourcuff as family. He had fallen out first with another troublemaker, Nasri, and then turned his attentions to Vieira. In one notable incident in 2009, Ribéry approached vieira in the shower and yelled « I’m gonna fuck him up the bastard, I’m gonna fuck him up! »

Towards the end of 2009, Ribery started causing more general trouble. In training he was asked to play on the right during a drill and he refused to take part. His attitude was atrocious. In what was billed as a must win game against Romania to qualify for the WC, the team played well. However when Ribéry and Benzema were brought on, they refused to run. Ribery was upset at being played on the right and spent his time chastising team mates. France drew 1-1 and would eventually have to play against Ireland in the playoff to even qualify.

Eventually, with Gourcuff’s stock rising, Ribery shifted his focus. Domenech said he was motivated by « jealousy tinged with hatred towards Gourcuff. » Gourcuff was seen as the « nouvelle star » of the team and was photogenic (unlike Ribéry). As the World Cup began it was Gourcuff who was chosen by Adidas to be the face of the side and he had a giant billboard with his face on along the Champs Elysées. To compound things the advert showed him reading - what a middle-class pursuit!

A few months earlier a core of players had started to undermine Gourcuff. During a 2-0 defeat to Spain in March 2010, Henry, Anelka and Ribéry had refused to pass to Gourcuff. Gourcuff had complained to Domonech that Anelka has refused to run into the throughballs he had played but Domenech told him to keep making the passes. Ribery told Domenech he wouldn’t play in the World Cup if he was played on the right against Spain. Domenech had justice on one side and the threat of losing his best players on the other. He tried to find a middle ground.

As the team trained in the buildup to the World Cup, the situation escalated. A 4-3-3 was being tried out during tactical drills with Gourcuff the playmaker. Ribery, Anelka and Malouda did their best to tank the drills. Henry and others asked for Gourcuff to be stripped of set pieces despite the fact he had taken them for months and had been practising them all week.

The team was being split among religious-sociological lines. The players from a poorer background and the muslim players tended to side with Ribery - there was also Anelka, Malouda, Diana, Abidal, Evra, Henry and Gallas. The more middle class players (Toulalan, Gourcuff, Lloris) stuck together too.

Perhaps a fairer view is that it was those from big city estates against those from the provinces. This is 12 years after the famous word cup winning team hailed for representing a multicultural France.

Things escalated so that Gourcuff was being bullied. The nasty clan would flick his ears continually from behind. In training they would tackle him if he was in their side or openly refuse to cover for him or pass to him. He is mocked for being homosexual (even though he is not).

After the opening game, a 0-0 against Uruguay, tv stations played replays of the clan refusing to pass to Gourcuff in good decisions. The tensions were becoming public.

Behind the scenes the homophobic insults continued as a regular onslaught. His middle class upbringing is held against him as a sign of softness. His restrained lifestyle out of step with the bling bling approach of the others (Ribery would later be accused of using an underage prostitute in an exclusive Parisian nightclub).

The implosion was preceded by an incident at breakfast one day. Gourcuff, who was one of the few players not to have a female partner with him, had caught the eye of Ribery’s wife. According to the team doctor, Madame ribery made several comments to ribery about Gourcuffs attractiveness and one day went to join him as he ate breakfast alone (ostracised by much of the group). You can imagine how Ribery took this...

Ribery, Gallas, Anelka and Evra starting slapping Gourcuff hard around the back of the head every chance they got. Henry started the nickname « la nouvelle star » in an ironic manner (how are your people skills now, Titi?). They continued not to pass the ball and when they had to, would play the ball too hard to be controlled. Ribery became obsessed with making Gourcuffs life hell.

Gradually « Les intellos » (the intellectuals) were singled out for reading. Oh the horror! Lloris was part of this group. This is similar to the abuse that Ribery, Nasri and Niang had met out to Valbuena when they had been at Marseille (Benzema - not at the World Cup but who had been part of this group - would later be excluded from the french tea for blackmailing Valbuena... not hard to imagine the motivation..). In one incident Evra pushed Gourcuff against a wall and threatened him.

The campaign of bullying and sabotaging of training sessions worked as Gourcuff was dropped for the next match. Domenech had given in despite insisting in public that everything was fine.

Everything wasn’t and the team would crash out of the group stage in disgrace.

Thank you for this. It’s enlightening, and at the same time hugely disappointing, that such players would act, and be allowed to act, in such a way.

 

[rawhide]

They sound like a proper bunch of ****s.

FYP

 

[Mornstar]

FYP

What does the P stand for you upper class educated rich spoilt brat homo?

 

[McArchibald]

Apologies if this is off topic but it’s been underreported - even in France. That’s in part because of journalists who wish to protect the national team and also because some coaches have felt a sense of loyalty to the players. However when earlier this year Ribéry tried to re-write history, a lot more came out about the build up to the WC and the fall out at the tournament itself.

What follows is probably the most detailed description of events in the English language, which is surprising given the fact the scanda involves so many premier league super stars.

At the time there are lots of quotes by players in the french squad insisting that camaraderie within the team was fine. This is despite strong and persistent rumours that Ribéry had fallen out with Gourcuff.

Gourcuff himself insisted he would only speak about footballing matters - an intelligent guy, he would engage in conversations about tactics (his dad is a high profile coach). To this day he has remained silent.

Ribéry was the chief instigator of trouble but also the teams best player.

In 2008 things had been different. He referred to Gourcuff as family. He had fallen out first with another troublemaker, Nasri, and then turned his attentions to Vieira. In one notable incident in 2009, Ribéry approached vieira in the shower and yelled « I’m gonna fuck him up the bastard, I’m gonna fuck him up! »

Towards the end of 2009, Ribery started causing more general trouble. In training he was asked to play on the right during a drill and he refused to take part. His attitude was atrocious. In what was billed as a must win game against Romania to qualify for the WC, the team played well. However when Ribéry and Benzema were brought on, they refused to run. Ribery was upset at being played on the right and spent his time chastising team mates. France drew 1-1 and would eventually have to play against Ireland in the playoff to even qualify.

Eventually, with Gourcuff’s stock rising, Ribery shifted his focus. Domenech said he was motivated by « jealousy tinged with hatred towards Gourcuff. » Gourcuff was seen as the « nouvelle star » of the team and was photogenic (unlike Ribéry). As the World Cup began it was Gourcuff who was chosen by Adidas to be the face of the side and he had a giant billboard with his face on along the Champs Elysées. To compound things the advert showed him reading - what a middle-class pursuit!

A few months earlier a core of players had started to undermine Gourcuff. During a 2-0 defeat to Spain in March 2010, Henry, Anelka and Ribéry had refused to pass to Gourcuff. Gourcuff had complained to Domonech that Anelka has refused to run into the throughballs he had played but Domenech told him to keep making the passes. Ribery told Domenech he wouldn’t play in the World Cup if he was played on the right against Spain. Domenech had justice on one side and the threat of losing his best players on the other. He tried to find a middle ground.

As the team trained in the buildup to the World Cup, the situation escalated. A 4-3-3 was being tried out during tactical drills with Gourcuff the playmaker. Ribery, Anelka and Malouda did their best to tank the drills. Henry and others asked for Gourcuff to be stripped of set pieces despite the fact he had taken them for months and had been practising them all week.

The team was being split among religious-sociological lines. The players from a poorer background and the muslim players tended to side with Ribery - there was also Anelka, Malouda, Diana, Abidal, Evra, Henry and Gallas. The more middle class players (Toulalan, Gourcuff, Lloris) stuck together too.

Perhaps a fairer view is that it was those from big city estates against those from the provinces. This is 12 years after the famous word cup winning team hailed for representing a multicultural France.

Things escalated so that Gourcuff was being bullied. The nasty clan would flick his ears continually from behind. In training they would tackle him if he was in their side or openly refuse to cover for him or pass to him. He is mocked for being homosexual (even though he is not).

After the opening game, a 0-0 against Uruguay, tv stations played replays of the clan refusing to pass to Gourcuff in good decisions. The tensions were becoming public.

Behind the scenes the homophobic insults continued as a regular onslaught. His middle class upbringing is held against him as a sign of softness. His restrained lifestyle out of step with the bling bling approach of the others (Ribery would later be accused of using an underage prostitute in an exclusive Parisian nightclub).

The implosion was preceded by an incident at breakfast one day. Gourcuff, who was one of the few players not to have a female partner with him, had caught the eye of Ribery’s wife. According to the team doctor, Madame ribery made several comments to ribery about Gourcuffs attractiveness and one day went to join him as he ate breakfast alone (ostracised by much of the group). You can imagine how Ribery took this...

Ribery, Gallas, Anelka and Evra starting slapping Gourcuff hard around the back of the head every chance they got. Henry started the nickname « la nouvelle star » in an ironic manner (how are your people skills now, Titi?). They continued not to pass the ball and when they had to, would play the ball too hard to be controlled. Ribery became obsessed with making Gourcuffs life hell.

Gradually « Les intellos » (the intellectuals) were singled out for reading. Oh the horror! Lloris was part of this group. This is similar to the abuse that Ribery, Nasri and Niang had met out to Valbuena when they had been at Marseille (Benzema - not at the World Cup but who had been part of this group - would later be excluded from the french tea for blackmailing Valbuena... not hard to imagine the motivation..). In one incident Evra pushed Gourcuff against a wall and threatened him.

The campaign of bullying and sabotaging of training sessions worked as Gourcuff was dropped for the next match. Domenech had given in despite insisting in public that everything was fine.

Everything wasn’t and the team would crash out of the group stage in disgrace.

Some seriously over-inflated ego's colliding. Typical...

 

[CarrickSpurgus]

Imagine if they slapped Sissoko round the back of the head..... you'd pay good money to see that!

 

[shelfmonkey]

They sound like a proper bunch of spoilt brats.

You mean ****s!

 

[shelfmonkey]

So what's the news about Rabiot?

 

[doctor stefan Freud]

So what's the news about Rabiot?

He’s a bit of a dingus. According to some

 

[dtxspurs]

Gerard Romero (heard his name before re: Barca news but don't know if he's reliable) says Rabiot is not a priority to Barca and they are focusing on De Jong.

 

[robertgoulet]

So what's the news about Rabiot?

He will only play in matches Aug-Sept and April-May and Champions League matches in warm weather, as he doesn't want to play in the cold.

 

[doctor stefan Freud]

He will only play in matches Aug-Sept and April-May and Champions League matches in warm weather, as he doesn't want to play in the cold.

That rules him out of signing for Arsenal and Chelsea then

 

[Lilbaz]

Get him in. Don't care if he's an arsehole. We need quality players not just for the final push but to make a statement to our players and manager.

Brian clough made an art out of getting quality players others didn't like and won leagues and european cups with them.

 

[synththfc]

Gerard Romero (heard his name before re: Barca news but don't know if he's reliable) says Rabiot is not a priority to Barca and they are focusing on De Jong.

He's tier 1 for them I'm certain

 

[dtxspurs]

He's tier 1 for them I'm certain

Yep, seems that way, just check out some of his tweets that are on Reddit:

https://old.reddit.com/r/soccer/search?q=gerard+romero&restrict_sr=on