Ex France goalie blasts coach over Euro 2008

PARIS – Goalkeeper Gregory Coupet compares playing for France to a form of "dictatorship" in which coach Raymond Domenech forbids players to say what they think. Coupet, who has had tense relations with Domenech since being dropped in favor of Fabien Barthez for the 2006 World Cup, says Domenech's stringent regime means players are effectively gagged. "The players are not allowed to speak," Coupet said in an interview published on the Web site of France Football magazine. "I can speak because I got out of there. But it's a dictatorship that's in place. The FFF (French Football Federation), the staff, everyone needs to look in the mirror." After learning that Domenech preferred Barthez for the 2006 World Cup campaign, a furious Coupet packed his bags and left France's pre-tournament training camp in the French Alps, only to change his mind and come back. Coupet and Domenech patched up their differences and Coupet played in all three of France's matches at the European Championship last summer. France drew 0-0 with Romania, and then Coupet was at fault for two goals in France's 4-1 defeat to the Netherlands, before making amends with a solid performance in the 2-0 defeat to Italy that ended France's Euro 2008 campaign. Coupet blamed Domenech for France's below-par showing at the Euro. "Domenech plays around with people, but if you do that you end up falling flat on your face," Coupet told France Football. "All this is very sad because there is an enormous amount of quality in this group that is being wasted. It's crazy that guys with so much talent should feel so ill at ease." Domenech can still call up Coupet, but the Atletico Madrid goalkeeper doubts it after his comments. Coupet also criticized the FFF for keeping Domenech in a job, saying the federation sought easy scapegoats for the Euro debacle. "They fired the doctor and the press officer ... isn't that a bit scary?" Coupet said. "We were useless at the European Championship because of the doctor and the guy in charge of press relations ... it's a disgrace!" – AP