Coupet to bury WC heartache
Afp, Paris
France goalkeeper Gregory Coupet insisted Tuesday that he was ready to move on from the heartache of losing out to his old rival Fabien Barthez at the World Cup."The World Cup passed me by and that's hard to forget," admitted the 33-year-old Lyon goalkeeper four days before the World Cup finalists travel to Scotland for their third Euro 2008 Group B qualifier. "It wasn't an easy time for me but the desire to return to competition and to play have carried me through." Coupet won five French league titles with Lyon, but despite his irreproachable performances for France since Euro 2004 had to watch from the sidelines as Les Bleus marched to the World Cup in Germany. He was at the centre of a spectacular bust-up with coach Raymond Domenech shortly before the finals, when he stormed out of France's pre-tournament training camp following the coach's decision to pick Barthez as his No.1. The Lyon keeper had filled that position for most of the preceding two years and was furious after losing out to Barthez at the 11th hour. "I've never had any privileged relationship with any coach. It's the same situation with Mr Domenech. The adventure got off to a painful start but maybe it will take a positive turn in the future. In any case I've had enough discussions on the subject so they know my mind." "Playing for France has always been my objective, it's something that is within me." he said. "It's not a job for me, it's my passion. You only have to look at what I did before the World Cup. On a sporting level I did everything in my power." But Coupet admitted that he still found it hard "to forgive ... Raymond Domenech knows it only too well". "We had frank and honest discussions, sometimes bitter. But I respect the man. We're there to work, not to love one another." After being second choice three times at the 2002 World Cup, Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup, Coupet will be hoping to finally be the first choice but is not taking anything for granted. "We're there to serve the French team but when we're not as good as we should be there are players behind to take our place," he said. "You have to keep calling yourself into question, if I'm not good, there's no reason why I should be on the team."
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