Juventus meet with Domenech

[snakies]

Juventus officials have met with France boss Raymond Domenech in an effort to cool the rising tension between the two parties.

Fabio Capello has been unhappy with a number of the Coach’s recent decisions that have impacted on his club.

Domenech infuriated the Italian tactician at the start of this season when he convinced Lilian Thuram to come out of international retirement.

There was further controversy after both Thuram, on two occasions, and Patrick Vieira returned from national service with injuries.

It’s unclear what exactly was discussed during the meeting which Domenech had with Capello and director general Luciano Moggi on Thursday evening.

However, Domenech’s plans for the controversial November 9 friendly against Costa Rica in Martinique are thought to have been talked about.

The charitable game, to be staged as a tribute for the victims of a plane crash that affected the former French colony, has already been blasted by a number of top club Coaches.

"The FFF do what they want as usual," said Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger. "It’s absolutely scandalous – inexplicable!

"People don’t realise the ramifications of this decision. In 2002 everyone said how crazy we were to play games in Chile and Australia – now we’re making the same mistake again.

"They just need to see the state of the players when they return from international duty. At some point you have to start having some respect for the people that pay you."

Lyon’s Gerard Houllier stated: "I’m against the idea. I think it’s stupid.

"Domenech needs to be consistent. He says the players are playing too many matches and then he wants to take them all off to Martinique after they’ve had seven games in 20 days."

Juventus have four French internationals on their books with Jonathan Zebina and David Trezeguet also regulars for Les Bleus.

[ASG]

TURIN, Italy (AP) - France coach Raymond Domenech has concluded a two-day visit at Juventus to clear up a conflict over calling up the team's players.

The club said on its Web site that the meetings focused on setting up "reciprocal collaboration."
Juventus coach Fabio Capello was upset by Lilian Thuram's return to France's team earlier this season, worried that the 33-year-old is too old to play for club and country.

The club was also unhappy that Patrick Vieira returned injured after France's last World Cup qualifiers.

"I told Domenech that I don't want to repeat cases like those of Thuram and Vieira, called up when they were not well," Juventus director Luciano Moggi told Friday's Gazzetta dello Sport.

"Nobody wants to damage national teams but the national teams should also not hurt clubs. From now on we will collaborate."

Including David Trezeguet and Jonathan Zebina, Juventus has four France internationals in all.

France plays Costa Rica in a friendly in Martinique on Nov. 9 and hosts Germany three days later.

[snakies]

The club versus country row between Juventus and France is showing no sign of abating after Coach Raymond Domenech called up Fabio Capello’s three French stars.

David Trezeguet, Patrick Vieira and Lillian Thuram have all been included for the friendlies against Martinique and Germany on November 9 and 12 respectively.

This latest development is sure to anger Capello, who is loath to send his players to far-flung places for what he considers to be meaningless friendlies.
Both Vieira and Thuram were injured during their most recent international appearances and missed important matches for their club as a result.

After Domenech visited Capello in Turin last week to discuss their deteriorating relationship, he was hoping for the France Coach to show more consideration of his wishes.

To make matters worse for Don Fabio, the French trio are not the only players that will leave Italy to represent their countries after the weekend.

Juventus are set to lose no fewer than 11 internationals during the next three weeks as national coaches the world over have called upon their most valued players to appear teams in various friendly matches and World Cup qualifiers.

Marcelo Zalayeta and Pavel Nedved will help Uruguay and the Czech Republic bid for a place in next year’s World Cup Finals, while Italy have called up Fabio Cannavaro, Manuele Blasi, Mauro Camoranesi, Alessandro Del Piero and Gianluca Zambrotta for the Azzurri’s games against Holland and the Ivory Coast.

Emerson has also been asked to join the squad to play against the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait to satisfy the demands of intransigent Brazil Coach Carlos Alberto Perreira.

The only players to be spared have been Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has been granted rest time by Sweden and Adrian Mutu, after Romania pulled out of a four-nation friendly tournament in Iran due to the tense political situation there.

[ASG]

well Fabio Capello isnt the only one talkign about this

LYON, France, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Olympique Lyon coach Gerard Houllier threatened on Friday not to release all his players for France's much-criticised friendly against Costa Rica to be played in Martinique next week.

"I've made my decision and I will let them know after the Toulouse game," Houllier told reporters on Friday.

The four-times champions play at Toulouse in a Ligue 1 game on Saturday.

"I've not seen the (France) coach, nor heard from him," he added. There is 23-player squad? Well, there might be 20, or 18."

Five Lyon players have been picked for the match, including Martinique-born defender Eric Abidal.

The game will be played on the French-administered Caribbean island of Martinique three days before France face Germany in a friendly in Paris as part of their preparations for the 2006 World Cup finals.

FIFA set aside November 12 for international friendlies, which means theoretically the clubs are not obliged to release their players for the Costa Rica game on November 9.

The French federation said the Costa Rica match would be a tribute to the families of those from Martinique who died in a plane crash in August.

A Colombian jet crashed in Venezuela, killing 160 people including 152 French nationals from Martinique.

[davor_suker]

Not surprising, the NT coaches can be pretty demanding, whilst the club coaches can be pretty stubborn. Its always been like this, and unfortunately, its getting worse.

[snakies]

well unfortunately club football's season is very long and with international matches in between club games, its just very tiresome. this problem has to be solved somehow cause its too much football in too little time

[ASG]

Trezeguet opts out of making trip to Martinique

FORT-DE-FRANCE, Martinique, Nov 7 (Reuters) - France striker David Trezeguet has pulled out of this week's friendly between his nation and Costa Rica in Martinique to avoid aggravating a thigh injury, coach Raymond Domenech revealed on Monday.

"David Trezeguet is not with us," Domenech confirmed during the eight-hour flight from Paris to Fort-de-France for Wednesday's match.

"He is nursing a painful thigh and cannot remain seated for such a length of time.

"He will go directly to (France's training headquarters) Clairefontaine and we'll join him when we return on Thursday. He should be available for the Saturday's friendly against Germany."

Several European clubs have complained about the possible fatigue that may affect their French internationals following the trip to Martinique but none have barred their players from accepting the call-up.

Juventus striker Trezeguet is the leading scorer in the squad with 31 goals from 59 international appearances, but he has not played for France since the 1-1 draw in Israel in March.

He missed the friendly matches against Hungary in May and against Ivory Coast in August before serving a two-game suspension for head-butting during the Israel draw.

Domenech hoped to have the in-form striker back in the squad for two crucial World Cup qualifiers last month, but injury prevented the player from taking any part.

As well as serving as a World Cup warm-up, Wednesday's match will be played in memory of the 152 people from the island of Martinique who died in a plane crash in Venezuela in August.

The French players and team management have offered to hand their bonuses to the families of the victims, worth about 400,000 euros ($472,800) if they win.

Costa Rica have also qualified for next year's World Cup after finishing third in CONCACAF qualifying.

[SUPERAJAX]

KEEP YOUR ***KING HANDS OFF OUR PLAYERS!!!