Raymond Domenech: Man Seeking Muzzle.
For those on the inside looking out, nary a worse manager reigns in the international realm; for those on the outside looking in…
Viva la Domenech.
What he lacks in coaching abilities, he makes up for in deliciously idiotic words. He’s kind of like Maradona without the playing career. Or coke habit. Or fatness.
The latest and greatest comes fresh off the announcement of Ireland as their obstacle on the way to South Africa 2010. A team he’s affectionately dubbed ‘England’s B side‘.
There may have been something lost in translation, or there may not – this is Raymond Domenech, after all. What is certain is that Irish eyes will be giving this the thrice over at the bulletin board every single day up until that first day in Dublin.
“Whoever our opponents were, I would have said the same thing, the objective is to qualify: but now it’s Ireland, we just have to get on with it. The advantage is that everyone knows them. They are a sort of England B side. They all play in the English league so all our players know them: some of our players play alongside them, while others against them. There will be no surprises. We know what to expect and we know what we have to do.”
Of course this isn’t the first time the Irish have been referred to as England’s B’s. Back in the 90’s they used to hunt out Irish lineage in Englishmen for the national team, earning the name and reputation.
Not quite what Domenech meant, however. What he meant to say is that the Irish aren’t quite a closed book, that like England, their playing style and players are no mystery. Which he did say. Only the good and logical was overshadowed by the large mess he’d made in the other room, falling in line with the rest of his managerial career, spurring on the Irish in the process.
And if his managerial career remains on course, he’ll leave the playoff with a job regardless of outcome and will still be doing more for the opposition than his treasured Les Bleus. Viva la Domenech.
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By RomaShield27 | October 20th, 2009 at 9:18 am 
Dumbenech is a complete idiot. I think he shares that sexy wife of his out to the big wigs in the French FA just so he can keep his job. If Ireland are “sort of an England B side” then France are ’sort of an African B side’. We’ll do our talking on the pitch in Croker.
By Ian | October 20th, 2009 at 9:21 am If it was a pure test of managerial skill, I’d back the Irish by about 15-0. Maybe after he loses France a World Cup appearance, we’ll get another public proposal?
By yaniv | October 20th, 2009 at 9:58 am lol, u gotta love this guy.. V got shay given almost bemoaning his luck n d draw, almost with a defeatist attitude.. Ray musta felt sry, n is kinda motivating d Irish.. V r set 4 a cracker.. I previously wasnt 2 keen on d match, now i’ve marked it as a must c..
By Dave Troter | October 20th, 2009 at 10:42 am He is right, Ireland is “England’s side B”.
Question #1…name me one Irish player that actually plays in the League of Ireland? Just one. Only one! You can’t, can you?! Because none of them play there….so….
Question #2…how many players on the Irish National Team play in England? How many? Really? Out of their current player squad, only two players DON’T play in England? Amazing.
So yeah, they are England’s Side B.
By Laurie | October 20th, 2009 at 10:51 am Don’t make the Irish angry. You won’t like them when they’re angry.
(When it comes to jokes about being lesser than England, there’s a reason the Incredible Hulk is the same color as a leprechaun. Is all I’m saying.)
Posted from 
United States
By MW | October 20th, 2009 at 10:58 am Thanks for the flawless logic Dave, I’ll be sure to refer to Brasil from now on as ‘England/Spain B’.
By Dave Troter | October 20th, 2009 at 10:59 am LOL, I study Northern Irish history and politics. Also and am 50% Irish 
On the other hand, oddly, I am 0% French. I can take it
By Dave Troter | October 20th, 2009 at 11:01 am Brazil as “England/Spain B”, why?
By Benj | October 20th, 2009 at 11:06 am This is an inaccurate translation. I don’t like Domenech any more than you, but he did not say that Ireland was England’s B side, he said they were “England #2″, meaning that they are very similar to England, that most of their squad are in the Prem, etc…Yes he is an idiot, but there is no need to add to that feeling by misquoting him.
Posted from United States
By alessio | October 20th, 2009 at 2:11 pm Because few if any Brazilians play in their own league.
By alessio | October 20th, 2009 at 2:12 pm *Brazilian national players
Benj, how is England #2 any different from England B?
By Elliott | October 20th, 2009 at 2:15 pm I knew it – Domenech is a genius, just misunderstood. Very misunderstood. I predict he will announce his divorce if France wins the playoff
By Jose | October 20th, 2009 at 3:03 pm “Benj, how is England #2 any different from England B?”
England B implies inferiority. England #2, or rather, more like England: Part II, says similarity, not inferiority.
By Dave Troter | October 21st, 2009 at 5:38 am Alessio, you exactly made my point. Again, ALL BUT TWO of Ireland’s players play in ENGLAND? Whereas with Brazil, they aren’t all in one league. Some are in Spain, some in Brazil, some in Germany, some in Italy…they are spread all over. Therefore, you can’t say that Brazilians dominate one league, because they don’t! Therefore, you make my point.
Brazilian players avoid England like the plague. There are a few Brazilian players over there, but usually after two years, they high-tail it out of there because the pace of play is slow and not their style (case in point, Robinho wants out according to reports).
By sandrahn | October 21st, 2009 at 6:19 am alessio, Dunga regularly calls up 4-6 players who play in Brazil.
Domenech did not say Ireland is England’s B team, he said they are England II — they play similarly.
Interesting how Francophobe Chris always gets to write up the France-related blogs on this site.
Posted from United States
By RomaShield27 | October 21st, 2009 at 7:37 am Dave, you logic is very flawed. The reason why there are no current Irish internationals who play in the League of Ireland is because it is simply a very poor league, and most of the players who play for Eircom League clubs are semi-professional or amateur. For this reason, and because of the proximity and cultural similarities between the two nations, most if not all of young Irish players go to England (and a few to Scotland, I suppose). Where would you expect them to go, pack up at 16 and go to the German Siegerland to play for a third division youth team or move to the Sardinian suburbs to play in Serie B? There is no sense in that, and no need for young Irish players to do so. It has always been the way that they move to England, so unlike young Brazilian’s there’s no need to spread out all around Europe. So just because the majority of current Irish squad play in England is no valid reason whatsoever to call it an “England b side”, and to do so is an insult and suggests that all Irish players would be happy to wear a Crown jersey. Granted, there is a few who qualify under the ‘grandfather rule, but what do you expect, we are a population of not even five million in a county where soccer is not even in the main sport played, so we take what we can, but nearly all are Irish. Your reasoning to justify Dumbenech’s comments is almost as comical as his ignorance.
By Al | November 13th, 2009 at 12:46 pm Raymond Raymond….the man with Tom Sellicks mustache as eyebrows…The man is probably the luckiest fluke the world of football has ever seen…talk about being protected….If the man was in industry he would have been fired long ago – no results usually puts a busines out of business. So I do hope and I know that half of the french public agree that he deserves to get the thrashing of his life in Dublin…I will help sing him off the pitch on the 18th at the Stade de France….aller Raymond….a la maison mon coco!!
Come on Ireland Come on lads…..:)
Posted from 
France
By rick | November 19th, 2009 at 3:32 am why he did not return benzema? is the best player on the team with him there is sure to beat every team, player of Real Madrid is not let him on the bench!
