Chill in the air as French land

BEING GREETED by a deluge – on Friday the 13th, of all dates – on their arrival in Dublin last evening wasn’t, as it proved, the most pleasant of bienvenues for Raymond Domenech and his French squad.

The manager and his captain, Thierry Henry, hardly had their mood lightened by having to face a press conference at an airport hotel immediately after disembarking, the bumper attendance at which – most of it French media – suggested a big game might just be imminent.

Domenech is as beloved in France, it seems, as the cutbacks in Ireland, a man who might look at the Taoiseach’s approval ratings and purr with envy. Not even leading his team to the 2006 World Cup final, where they only lost on penalties to Italy, eased the disdain, one French newspaper even declaring this week he is Ireland’s best hope of qualifying for the World Cup.

So, the mood at his press conference was, frankly, never going to be jolly.

How are things?

“Well, unfortunately it’s raining, we’ll see how it goes tomorrow, but everyone is prepared as well as possible.”

Is the weather a worry?

“Not at all, it’s part of the game, it’s normal for November. Rain or shine, it is not important.”

Well, whatever about the rain, there was a chill in the air as one curt response followed another, several of Domenech’s seemingly innocuous replies greeted with a guffaw here and an audible sigh there.

Is it a success or failure for France to be in the play-offs?

Henry frowned, his manager just smiled. “The objective is to qualify for the World Cup – maybe I will answer the question afterwards.”

Are there similarities between this game and the one between Ireland and France in 2005 (when a Thierry Henry goal decided the World Cup qualifier at Lansdowne Road)?

“Yes,” said Domenech. “They’re playing in green, we’re in blue, red and white. But it is not the same players, it is not the same conditions, the context has changed.”

Some of the Irish players have been speaking out this week, have you read their comments?

“They are not of my concern, I have to prepare my team. I have long since stopped listening to the press, otherwise I would have killed myself.”

A few withering glances were exchanged between the visiting media. Domenech, one sensed, would be heartily denounced for his (unintentionally) insensitive remark in light of the suicide of German goalkeeper Robert Enke earlier this week. When it rains, it buckets down for this man.

What do you make of Ireland?

“I never speak about the opponent, I have enough problems with the French team. But I respect Ireland, I know it is a solid team. [Giovanni] Trapattoni is a great coach, I admire his career greatly.”

Thierry?

“We all know the reputation of Trapattoni, the respect is there.”

What is your approach to this game?

“The idea is to win the match. But it’s 180 minutes, not just 90 – it’s a more weighty situation. The idea is not to make mistakes, to score goals and qualify.”

Croke Park is quite an inspiring stadium, Thierry?

“Yes, it is a very symbolic stadium, the same as in Serbia [where France played in the group stage], there will be a lot of support and a lot of noise.”

“Last question,” said our MC.

You have good memories from Dublin, from 2005, Thierry?

“Well, it wasn’t one of the best games you could have seen, but we went home with the three points. But that was four years ago.”

All done? Wait, one more – a question about Michel Platini’s comment that it wouldn’t be a big drama if France failed to qualify (“We’ll have a new coach, a new team and it will all start again”).

The question before, Domenech pointed out, was the last one, and with that he and his captain departed.