Domenech criticised in Netflix documentary on the Knysna strike

Raymond Domenech was criticised in the latest Netflix documentary about the France team strike in Knysna during the 2010 World Cup, where the players, led by captain Patrice Evra, refused to train to protest the exclusion of Nicolas Anelka after his insulting remarks at halftime of the 2‑0 defeat to Mexico.

The sensational front page of the daily L’Equipe had urged the French Football Federation to sanction the striker.

Anthony Réveillère, who was among the 24 players present in South Africa, lived the scandal from the inside, while Stéphane Ruffier had been called up as reinforcement but could not make the official squad.

In So Foot, the 47‑year‑old right‑back, former of Stade Rennais and Olympique Lyonnais, recalls that “we wanted to show solidarity towards Anelka and it got out of hand, but we ended up there because there were things that should have stayed in the dressing room.”

He criticises Domenech’s management of the group, stating that there was no structure and that the Knysna debacle was not surprising.

Réveillère adds that, although people say Domenech is a “good guy”, he does not know him, that managing egos is complicated, and that problems already existed at Euro 2008, whereas in 2006 the presence of three “monsters” in the dressing room had kept the peace.

The 1998 world champions Fabien Barthez, Lilian Thuram, Patrick Vieira, Zinédine Zidane and Thierry Henry had led the Blues in 2006, Henry being the last survivor four years later.

Anthony Réveillère and Gaël Clichy also took part in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.