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Instead of offering a heart-felt mea culpa for what the French press have dubbed a 'shipwreck' after his side crashed 2-0 to Italy, Raymond Domenech launched into a tortured declaration of love on national television for his girlfriend Estelle Denis. 'I have only one project: to marry Estelle, which is what I'm asking her today.' 'I know it's difficult, but it's at moments like this that you need everyone and I need her,' he said with tears in his eyes. Le Parisien described the outburst as 'unreal', while sports daily l'Equipe was furious at Domenech's 'error of taste'. The couple have two children and have been together for several years. Miss Denis has not given her reply. The coach scored another own-goal in a later an attempt to try to justify the timing of his marriage proposal. 'Everything was so sad, I thought life has some beautiful moments and you should tell people you love them. I wanted to show some emotion. I'm not going to repeat it,' he said. Domenech yesterday made a bizarre excuse that the cul-de-sac layout of the team's hotel next to Lake Geneva, Switzerland, forced his team into a 'closed' style of play against Italy, the Netherhands and Romania. 'Resign!' screamed France Soir's front page. 'There is only one exit: the door.' French fans are not just gunning for Domenech over his romantic outburst: there is also general agreement that the French coach has displayed abysmal tactical judgement by clinging to an older generation of players and then choosing poor last-minute replacements. The French football federation will decide on July 3 whether to keep Domenech, whose contract is due to expire in 2010 after the World Cup in South Africa. ENDS |
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