Domenech new Les Bleus boss

14 April 2012

Raymond Domenech was today named as the new France coach in succession to Jacques Santini, ending former England manager Glenn Hoddle's hopes of landing the job.

Hoddle, who was interviewed by French Football Federation officials last week, did not even make the final shortlist.

Claude Simonet, chairman of the FFF, said: "We received 41 applications, six of them were really serious.

"The shortlist was reduced to three names - Laurent Blanc, Jean Tigana and Raymond Domenech - before we reached a consensus and appointed Domenech."

A former midfielder who won eight internat ional caps, 52-year-old Domenech played for Racing Strasbourg, Paris St Germain and Bordeaux, where he learned his coaching skills from Aime Jacquet, who was to steer France to their first World Cup triumph in 1998.

Domenech then coached Olympique Lyon from 1989 to 1994 before spending the last 11 seasons as coach of France's Under-21 side where he brought through players such as Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry, David Trezeguet and Louis Saha.

Domenech took the Under-21 side to the semi-finals of the European championship in 1994 and 1996 and to the final in 2002.

"From the beginning of my life, there was football, football and football," he said today.

"I have tried handball and volleyball but I always was and always will be a football fanatic."

His first task as national coach will be to help Les Bleus overcome the disappointment of losing their European title in Portugal.

His first game in charge will be a friendly against Bosnia in Rennes on 18 August.

France begin their 2006 World Cup qualifiers on 4 September against Israel in Paris. "I know all the players eligible for the senior team now," Domenech said.

"I have trained them all as youngsters and I have no problem with leading a squad like this."

Today's appointment completes a whirlwind 24 hours for Domenech, whose partner gave birth to a daughter, Victoire, yesterday evening.

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