French Whine

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Unofficial Newcastle United Football Club BBS : One Thread

good article on Sportal that I thought you might like to read.

FRENCH WHINE LEAVES SOUR TASTE

Free spirits or moaning minnies? "And then I go and spoil it all by saying something stupid like I love you". Substitute the "I love you" for "I don't love you very much" and you leap quite easily from Frank Sinatra to Frank Leboeuf.

Monsieur Leboeuf, of course, is the prime example of that peculiarly Gallic strain of foot-in-mouth disease, a condition that prompts millionaire footballers to moan like misunderstood teenagers about the hardships of life in this green and, admittedly, oftentimes grey land.

Alas, said syndrome appears to have struck again in the shape of Frederic Kanoute, the latest Frenchman to make an impression in the PL. No sooner had this tall, elegant striker achieved a degree of prominence for his excellent displays for West Ham this season, than he had to open his big mouth and start lamenting his lot.

Hence his words that a move to one of the PL big guns would improve his chances of a place in the France squad. "When you are in a big team like Manchester United or Arsenal, the selectors will see you all the time," Kanoute said. "I love West Ham and I'm not saying they are not a great team but the fact is you don't tend to get noticed if you're playing for the smaller clubs."

If that were not enough, Kanoute then shared with us his take on life north of the Watford Gap. "I don't really like the north. It's always raining, it's very cold and I don't like all those little houses. It's not for me. I couldn't see myself ever playing for someone like Middlesbrough or Everton."

That stupid comment, of course, ignores the fact that footballers everywhere live in huge homes in exclusive out-of-town estates. Moreover, Kanoute appears to overlook the fact that Manchester is in the north and actually really rather wet, which would appear to scupper that dream move to Old Trafford, but that is beside the point.

The point is that there is something quite vexing about players coming to these shores, making a name for themselves - not to mention the odd million pounds - and then having a moan. The French are not the only ones - consider the run-around Emerson gave Middlesbrough - but players who cross the Channel do have a annoying habit of kicking up a fuss even when they are playing in successful teams.

Chelsea's managing director Colin Hutchinson said Leboeuf "was sometimes his own worst enemy" after one of his outbursts. Staying at Stamford Bridge, Didier Deschamps was less than enamoured by the English game, declaring after this departure to Valencia last summer that: "In England I had difficulty showing my qualities. I arrived from Italy with techniques which were useless in England."

Across the capital, there has been no shortage of hot air from Arsenal's French contingent. You got more moaning from Emmanuel Petit than in the entire Emmanuelle movie franchise. And this from a player who, like Patrick Vieira, played the best football of his life in England, earning a place in the French national team in the process.

Talk of victimisation has an empty ring about it. For all the arguments in defence of Vieira's disciplinary record, this is a player who kicked his friend Olivier Dacourt in the head during November's Leeds-Arsenal match.

With Leboeuf seemingly bound for Monaco, perhaps we should leave the last word to the former Derby defender Stefan Schnoor who, remarkably for a German, spoke up for most Englishmen when he said: "I think when you go abroad you have to accept the game and their style and be quiet. You shouldn't say things like Frank Leboeuf does. Who does he think he is? If he thinks France is the best, he should f*** off and go back."

No arguments there Stefan, old son!

-- Anonymous, January 22, 2001

Answers

Thanks Clarky - a great piece (and narry a mention of Millenium Domi, that other great waste of space). Kanoute's outburst is absolutely shocking. He really deserves to have his head kicked in by some angry West Ham fans. Not that I would condone such an action - in the normal course of events.

-- Anonymous, January 22, 2001

I was watching the West Ham game against Charlton last night and was thinking about the French players that come over here. To a man they have managed to piss many people off. Even our own players like Goma and Domi have contrived to make a rod for their own backs.

They are undoubtedly talented accomplished players, Kanoute was outstanding last night, but they have a temperament such that they cannot seem to adapt to the English game without making a fuss.

I'd personally never have another French player at the club, because what we would miss out on in talent could easily be made up for in guts and application.

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2001


I agree De B - with the exception of Zidane, Desailly, Henry, in fact most of the current French squad - I wouldn't have a single French player in my squad. ;-)

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2001

Moderation questions? read the FAQ