Comments on: Coupet Speaks

By: John

John — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 21:00:56 +0000

Storm: Good poing about the acadamies. Some of these kids that live away from their families are especially at risk, with no one really guiding them in certain behavioral aspects. And I don’t even mean to bash Benzema, since all-and-all he seems like a well behaved kid, the issue just being the swollen head which is only to be expected, and the possible attitude problems that Coupet talks about. I don’t know, since I’m not in the locker room. Have to take Greg’s word.

By: Storm

Storm — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 20:35:02 +0000

Absolutely. The two (ex) Lyon players concerned here and especially Ben Arfa are being critised for behaviour that is unacceptable and inappropriate. Ben Arfa’s behaviour during the press conference resembled that of a petulant child REGARDLESS of colour or race. It was his actions not his race or the colour of his skin being judged. Ditto the dressing fights he got into at Gerland.
Now when OL (and most other big teams) travel abroad to CL matches the players are treated as child prima donnas. Their itinary is almost child like – with time planned for a nap; mid afternoon snack etc, yet their flights home are still delayed because one of the players has gone AWOL trying to buy a designer handbag for his girlfriend. And lets face it the OL players with their Audi 4 x 4 are small players next to most top flight EP players and their multiple Ferraris and Porsche’s. Somehow the football gets lost in all of this.

Interesting too to throw up Claire Fontaine. I wonder how much these football schools intensify the problems by (usually) removing the young player from a more stablising and grounded family influence. Ben Afra i believe left home at about 13 yo. Whilst we critise Benzema now his arrogance is not on the same scale and up until about 12 months ago he was actually still being praised for being grounded. He had been able to train with OL whilst still living with his family. That must have helped. I think this is also part of Platini’s problem with youngsters going abroad as youths.

One has to also wonder what will happen to these youngsters when they retire. To have SO much so young must make the after very tough. Theres no way they will continue to have the same salary, media spot light or life style when their playing career is over and the landing will be very bumpy.

By: john

john — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:43:51 +0000

Laurie: I love Gourcuff!! Hopefully we can snatch him away when his loan is up. Hahahaha. Before the Bordeaux Lyon game when Aulas was playing his mind games and said he wanted Yoann at any cost, I was hoping that he was dead serious and really planned bring him to Gerland at any cost. He’s my favorite player behind Coupet. I love his attitude, although growing-up a coaches son is probably a very humbling experience, I’m sure. I imagine his father always kept his feet planted on the ground and his head squarly on his shoulders.

By: john

john — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:34:56 +0000

No, the point is that these kids behave this way and it’s part of their personalities and way of thinking from now on because there was never any accountability in their formative years. Ben Arfa was a problem ever since Claire Fontaine and he continues with the same behavior at 21 as he did at 13. And your argument is that becuase some people use this issue to single out these two North African players and
Arican American players in the U.S. that we should not examine the issue or not let it bother us. This is a problem that affects kids today irrespective of race, and I only point out these two examples because they are Lyon/ex-Lyon players and the hightest profile young players in France who embody this problem, and who happen to be North Aricans, but that doesn’t mean that they should get a pass and I should sweep their behavior under the rug just because other groups are targeting them and their behavior in order to spew their nefarious beliefs. The very fact that both Coupet(who’s done anti-racism ads and spoken-out against it) and Gallas who’s talking about the same generational problem with the youngsters at Arsenal are speaking-out about the corrosive effect this generational problem is having on leadership, shows that it is a legitimate and valid argument that is not limited to its use by racists targeting the hip hop generation and minorities. So, just because the argument is being used by racist to bash Blacks, African Americans, North Africans, and other ethnic groups, doesn’t mean that I will ignore the problem, effectively “choosing a side.” It’s a valid point and I will continue to talk about it even if people do use it for their racist agendas. The behavior of a certain social group shouldn’t be blankedly excused- not that this behavior is limited to “non-whites” it’s not- because a group is being “persecuted” in some way. If you do that then you are guilty of not holding-up that certain group to the same set of standards as everyone else, just like the racists.

By: JAVI

JAVI — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 23:05:42 +0000

Hey Johnny,

Decadent society aside, the point is that these kids will screw up. The good coaches will punish them accordingly. What I can’t possibly support is the absolute condemnation I constantly here from fans regarding, in particular these two kids who just happen to be north African Beurs. Sounds too much like the crap I hear directed at African American athletes while white ones get away with murder in the US. Honestly, I see Ben Arfa and Benzema doing and saying stupid things at times but to consider them cancerous or anything of the sort is taking it way too far. And I understand what Coupet is saying but you must understand where he is coming from. He is of an older generation but still a young man and coming to terms what he considers a certain disrespect from younger players. This is the same with William Gallas when he was ripping the younger players on the France squad.

By: Laurie

Laurie — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 21:35:38 +0000

John, I agree with you (and Coupet) that this is different from what’s gone on in years past. I watched Ben Arfa break into the press conference a couple of weeks back to apologize for refusing to warm up, and I thought, “This kid has the maturity of a 13-year-old.” He’s not a bad person — he’s just never had any consequences for his actions, and it’s kept him from growing into a young adult. This offends me both as a mom and as a EdF fan.

There is just so much money involved, and so much at stake in wins and losses, that nobody feels they can hold talented kids responsible for their actions. Sad part is that this will unquestionably have a negative effect on the clubs and NTs in the long run.

I’m very grateful that Gourcuff got some education in Milan that showed him he’s not the center of the universe — he seems to have brought that with him back to Bordeaux. Let’s hope it lasts.

By: John

John — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 22:39:44 +0000

Jao: I didn’t think Fred’s yellow for simulation was deserved either. Fred’s play involved way more contact than Gassama yellow.

By: Jao

Jao — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 21:57:49 +0000

That sob Ledentu is bad luck or either has it out for Lyon. The initial contact by Gassama came outside the box. Seems like when we play 4-3-3, there’s no attack.

By: Nikola

Nikola — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 21:49:37 +0000

Damn, we’re dead. Klasnić really found a nice game to start shining.

By: Nikola

Nikola — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 21:32:41 +0000

Well, now he put Ederson in, so I guess now we have a 4-3-3 with Fred up front and Ederson and Delgado on the wings. Fred, how about a much-anticipated goal from you, huh?